THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 

OF  CALIFORNIA 

DAVIS 


STATE  OF  CALIFORNIA 
DEPARTMENT  OF  PUBLIC  WORKS 

DIVISION  OF  ENGINEEKING  A'ND  IRRIGATION 


BULLETIN  No.  4 


rc?2^ 


az 


no. 


■^ 


WATER  RESOURCES  OF 
CALIFORNIA 


A  REPORT  TO  THE  LEGISLATURE  OF  1923 


CALn'ORNIA  STATE  PRINTING  OFFICE 

FRANK  J.  SMITH,  Superintendent 

SACRAMENTO,  1923 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 


PAGE 

LETTER    OF    TRANSMITTAL l 5 

LETTER  FROM  THE  CONSULTING  BOARD  TO  THE  MEMBERS  OF 
THE  LEGISLATURE  7 

.\CKNO\ML,BDGMENT    8 

FOREWORD    • 9 

ORGA^^ZATION    11 

CHAPTER  889  OF  THE  STATUTES  OF  1921 13 

LIST  OF  TABLES 15 

LIST  OF  PLATES 15 

Chapteb  I. 
Recommendatious:  to  the  Legislature  of  1923 17 

Chapter  II. 
California 19 

Chapter  III. 
Climate    24 

Chapter  IV. 
The    State's    Waters' 27 

Chapter  V. 

Utilization  of  the  State's  Waters 34 

Chapter  VI. 
Comprehensive   Plan    for   Achieving   the   Maximum    Service    from    the    Waters 
of  the   State  39 

Chapter  VII. 

Settlement    52 


LETTER  OF  TRANSMITTAL. 


January  1,  1923. 
To  tke  Members  of  the  Legislature, 
State  of  California, 
Session  of  1923. 

The  report  on  the  "Water  Resources  of  California,"  prepared  by 
the  Division  of  Engineering  and  Irrigation  of  this  Department,  is 
transmitted  herewith.  This  report  compiles  the  results  of  the  state- 
wide investigation  authorized  by  Chapter  889  of  the  Statutes  of  1921. 
In  placing  this  in  your  hands,  I  desire  to  mention  the  helpful  services 
of  the  Consulting  Board  appointed  pursuant  to  the  provisions  of  the 
act  and  of  the  members  of  the  civil  engineering  profession  who  have 
served  on  advisory  committees  and  reviewed  much  of  the  work  in  pre- 
paring this  report.  The}-  have  freely  given  to  the  state  valuable  advice 
and  assistance  that  have  greatly  aided  these  endeavors. 

Respectfully  submitted.  i 


Director  of  Public  Works, 


2 — 25712 


LETTER  FROM  THE  CONSULTING  BOARD  TO  THE 
MEMBERS  OF  THE  LEGISLATURE. 


To  the  Honorable  Members  of  the  Legislature, 
State  of  California, 
Session  of  1923. 

The  Consulting  'Board  appointed  under  the  provisions  of  chapter 
889  of  the  Statutes  of  1921,  approves  the  report  of  the  Division  of 
Engineering  and  Irrigation  of  the  State  Department  of  Public  Works, 
herewith  submitted. 

It  is  the  judgment  of  the  Board  that  the  Division  of  Engineering 
and  Irrigation  should  continue  this  work  and  that  the  required  appro- 
priation therefor  should  be  made. 


Respectful!}'  submitted. 


Chalrniaji 


c^^t/Mfm^-^^^.^^..^ 


Members  of  Consulting  Board. 


ACKNOWLEDGMENT. 


Much  data  have  been  contributed  to  this  report  by  public  and  private 
offices  without  which  the  Department  would  have  been  wholly  unable 
to  produce  this  volume.  The  Department  desires  to  publicly  express  its 
sincere  appreciation  to  the  parties  who,  through  the  furnishing  of  these 
data,  have  made  it  possible  to  increase  the  service  to  the  public  several- 
fold,  in  publishing  this  report. 


FOREWORD. 


The  legislature  of  1921  appropriated  $200,000  for  an  investigation 
of  California's  Avater  resources  by  the  State  Department  of  Public 
Works,  Division  of  Engineering  and  Irrigation.  Accordingly,  an 
engineering  investigation  has  been  completed  and  a  report  transmitted 
to  the  legislature  on  January  1,  1923.  The  great  mass  of  data  collected 
and  the  complex  analyses  thereof  made  it  advisable  to  present  much  of 
the  information  in  separate  volumes.  Four  of  these  are  in  print, 
entitled : 

Appendix  ''A"  "Flow  in  California  Streams."  Bulletin  No.  5, 
State  Department  of  Public  Works. 

Appendix  "B"  "Irrigation  Requirements  of  California  Lands." 
Bulletin .  No,  6,  State  Department  of  Public 
Works. 

Appendix  "C"  "Utilization  of  the  Water  Resources  of  Cali- 
fornia." Bulletin  No.  7,  State  Department  of 
Public  Works. 

Appendix  "D"  "Relation  of  Settlement  to  Irrigation  Develop- 
ment." Bulletin  No.  8,  State  Department  of 
Public  Works. 

Chapter  889  of  the  1921  Statutes,  which  authorized  this  investiga- 
tion, provided  for  the  appointment  by  the  Governor,  of  a  Consulting 
Board  to  advise  with  the  Department  in  their  endeavors.  The  follow- 
ing were  appointed  by  Governor  Stephens: 

J.  C.  FoRKNER,  Chairman 
Peter  Cook 
Jonathan  S.  Dodge 

B.  A.  Etcheverry 
Harry  Haw^good 
H.  A.  Kluegel 
Robert  B.  Marshall 
H.  D.  McGlashan 
0.  B.  Tout 

U.  S.  Webb 

Additional  advice  on  the  technical  features  of  Appendix  "A"  to 
this  report  has  been  sought  by  the  Department  from : 

C.  E.  Grunsky 
Louis  C.  Hill 
Charles  D.  Marx 
H.  D.  McGlashan 


10  WATER  RESOURCES  OF  CALIFORNIA. 

Also,  further  advice  was  sought  on  the  technical  features  of  Appendix 
''B"  from: 

A.  N.  BuRCH 

B.  A.  Etcheverry 
Samuel  Fortier 
A.  L.  Sonderegger 

•  The  Department  sought  added  advice  on  the  technical  features  of 
Appendix  "C"  from: 

A.  J.  Cleary 
G.  A.  Elliott 
F.  C.  Herrmann 
W.  L.  Huber 
A.  Kempkey 
William  JMulholland 

Appendix  "D"  was  prepared  by  Br.  Elwood  Mead,  Professor  of 
Rural  Institutions  of  the  University  of  "California,  and  Chief  of  Divi- 
sion of  Land  Settlement  of  the  State  Department  of  Public  Works, 
under  cooperative  arrangements  with  the  University  of  California. 


WATER  RESOURCES  OP  CALIFORNIA. 


11 


ORGANIZATION. 


A.  B.  FLETCHER,  Director  of  Public  Works 
W.  F.  McCLURE,  Chief  of  Division  of  Engineering  and  IrrigaUon 


The  investigation  of  the  water  resources  of  the 
state  and  the  preparation  of  the  report  thereon, 
was  planned,  directed  and  brought  to  completion  by 

Paul  Bailey 


Fred  C.  Scobey 


Chief  Assistants 
Robert  L.  Jones 


William  S.  Post 


Senior  Office  Engineers 


H.  A.  Armstrong 
J.  J.  Jessup 
Clarence  F.  Johnson 
C.  B.  Meyer 
S.  B.  Nevius 


J.  H.  Peaslee 
W.  A.  Perkins 
Walter  Ruppel 
S.  H.  Searancke 
Edward  G.  Sheibley 


Junior  Office  Engineers 


P.  S.  Barker 
J.  G.  Bastow 
L.  N.  Clinton 
G.  D.  Clyde 
H.  L.  Davis 
Herbert  E.  Doolittle 
P.  K.  Duncan    - 
Arthur  C.  Dunlop 
0.  B.  Field 
Frank  P.  Foote 
George  B.  Gleason 
S.  S.  Gorman 
William  H.  Gorman 

F.   B.   HiLBY 

E.  R.  Hoffman 
Irvin  Ingerson 
H.  E.  IviE 
J.  R.  Jahn 

BiSCOE   A.    KiBBEY 

Thomas  Lewis 
J.  A.  Lindsay 
P.  H.  Lovering 
W.  J.  Manetta 
T.  C.  Mead 
J.  W.  Merideth 


S.  C.  Metcalp 
R.  I.  Meyerholz 
E.  H.  Moore 
M.  F.  Moore 

W.    B.    MULLIN 

T.  R.  Neiswander 
T.  Neuman 
C.  M.  Newton 
Harry  Olsen 
Noel  Pike 
Norman  C.  Raab 

B.  A.  Reber 
Glenn  Rood 

E.  N.  Sawtelle 
N.  E.  Spicklemire 
R.  C.  Stevenson 
h.  n.  sulliger 
Otto  Von  Seggern 
E.  G.  Waters 

V.    W.    WiLLITS 

Robert  L.  Wing 
Charles  J.  Worden 
A.  A.  Wren 

C.  L.  Young 


12 


WATER  RESOURCES  OP  CALIFORNIA. 

Field  Engineers 


R.  L.  Allin 
E.  W.  Case 
S.  A.  Hart 
Chester  Marliave 


John  A.  Rice 


F.  W.  Bush,  Jr. 
Ed.  W.  Case 
CD.  Divelbiss 
Ward  Eisan 
A.  Fankhouser 

F.  L.   FiREBAUGH 

Gerald  Fitzgerald 


H.  L.  McCready 
G.  H.  Russell 
Burton  Smith 
H.  S.  Williams 


Geologists 


Alfred  R.  Whitman 


Topographers 


Redick  H.  McKee 
L.  0.  Newsome 

F.  Rider 

Earl  D.  Stafford 
J,  E.  Stafford 

G.  H.  Walters 
A.  V.  Wilson 


A.  F.  McCoNNELL,  Editor  of  Report 
J.  J.  Haley,  Jr.,  Office  Manager 


WATER  RESOURCES  OP  CALIFORNIA.  13 


CHAPTER  889  OF  STATUTES  OF  1921. 

An  act  to  provide  for  the  investigation  hy  the  State  of  California  of  the  possibili- 
ties of  the  storage,  control  and  diversion  of  water  for  publie  use  and  public 
protection  in  the  State  of  California,  and  making  an  appropriation  for  said 
purpose. 

(Approved  June  3,  1921.) 

The  people  of  the  State  of  California  do  enact  as  follows  : 

Section  1.  It  is  hereby  declared  that  the  people  of  the  State  of  California 
have  a  paramount  interest  in  the  use  of  all  the  Avaters  of  the  State  and  the  State 
of  California  shall  determine  what  waters  of  the  state,  surface  and  underground, 
can  be  converted  to  public  use,  or  controlled  for  public  protection. 

Sec.  2.  The  state  engineering  department  is  hereby  authorized  and  instructed  to 
make  the  investigation  in  this  act  provided  for  and  for  the  purposes  herein  specified. 

Sec.  3.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  state  engineering  department  to  deternsine 
the  maximum  amount  of  water  which  can  be  delivered  to  the  maximum  area  of 
land,  the  maximum  control  of  flood  waters,  the  maximum  storage  of  waters,  the 
effects  of  deforestation  and  all  possibile  and  practicable  uses  for  such  waters  in  the 
State  of  California. 

Sec.  4.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  state  engineering  department  to  determine 
a  comprehensive  plan  for  the  accomplishment  of  the  maximum  conservation,  con- 
trol, storage,  distribution  and  application  of  all  the  waters  of  the  state,  and  to 
estimate  the  cost  of  constructing  dams,  canals,  reservoirs  or  other  works  necessary 
in  carrying  out  this  plan,  and  to  report  the  result  of  such  investigations  with 
recommendations  not  later  than  the  legislative  session  of  1923. 

Sec.  5.  In  carrying  out  the  provisions  of  this  act  the  state  engineering  depart- 
ment is  hereby  authorized  to  examine  any  and  all  data,  estimates  and  proposals 
in  furtherance  of  the  above  purpose,  according  to  its  judgment  of  their  engineer- 
ing worth,  and  to  cooperate  with  any  department,  bureau,  office,  service,  or  division 
of  the  United  States,  or  of  the  state  or  counties,  or  with  any  municipality,  irri- 
gation, reclamation,  conservation,  drainage,  flood  control,  levee,  or  other  district 
agency  for  irrigation,  reclamation,  drainage,  or  flood  control  purposes,  or  for  the 
development  of  hydro-electric  power ;  or  with  any  interested  association,  com- 
pany or  individual ;  provided,  further,  that  the  eng-ineering  department  is  hereby 
expressly  authorized  to  accept,  receive  and  use  any  funds  or  rooneys  contributed  to 
it  by  any  person,  irrigation  district,  reclamation  district,  water  and  conservation 
district  or  any  political  subdivision  of  the  State  of  California  for  the  purpose  of 
cooperating  in  the  work  aforesaid  and  carrying  out  the  pui'poses  of  this  act. 

Sec.  6.  With  the  approval  of  the  governor,  the  state  engineering  department 
is  hereby  authorized  to  employ  such  assistance  as  in  its  judgment  it  may  require 
and  to  incur  such  expense  as  may  be  necessary  to  carry  out  the  purposes  of  this  act. 
The  governor  is  further  authorized  to  appoint  a  consulting  board,  composed  of 
citizens  of  special  and  technical  qualifications,  to  serve  in  an  advisory  capacity, 
and  without  pay,  in  making  the  above  investigation. 

Sec.  7.  There  is  hereby  appropriated  out  of  any  money  in  the  state  treasury, 
not  otherwise  appropriated,  the  sum  of  two  hundred  thousand  dollars,  and  made 
immediately  available  for  any  of  the   purposes  of  this  act. 

Sec.  8.  This  act  shall  not  in  any  way  be  construed  so  as  to  deprive  persons, 
corporations,   or   districts   of   vested   rights. 

Sec.  9.  Any  section  or  portion  of  a  section  of  any  act,  statute  or  law  of  the 
State  of  California  in  conflict  with  the  provisions  of  this  act  is  hereby  repealed. 


3—25712 


WATER  RESOURCES  OF  CALIFORNIA,  15 


LIST  OF  TABLES. 


PAGE 

1.  Water  Resources  of  California   (facing) 32 

2.  Agricultural   Areas   and   Net  Duty   of  Water  in   the   Sixteen   Sections   of 

California    37 


LIST  OF  PLATES. 


PAGE 

I.     Illustrative  Climatology  on  Agricultural  Lands    (facing) 24 

II.     Characteristics  of  Run-off  from  California  Mountains   (facing) 30 

III.  Map  of  Agricultural  Areas  and  Duty  of  Water  Sections   (facing) 36 

IV.  Preliminary   Comprehensive   Plan    for    Maximum   Development    of   Cali- 

fornia's Water  Resources   (facing) 46 


WATER  RESOURCES  OP  CALIFORNIA.  17 

CHAPTER  I. 


RECOMMENDATIONS  TO  THE  LEGISLATURE  OF  1923. 

One-third  of  the  aggregate  value  of  all  of  California's  products  are 
those  raised  on  the  farm,  and  one-fourth  of  all  its  manufactories  are 
concerned  in  milling,  canning  or  preserving,  cleaning,  or  otherwise 
preparing  food  stuffs  for  the  market.  In  a  state  whose  wealth  is  taken 
from  the  soil  in  such  large  portions,  agriculture  and  the  problems 
attendant  to  its  expansion,  press  for  consideration.  The  accelerated 
expansion  of  agricultural  production  in  California  has  been  attained 
through  the  more  intensive  cultivation  of  its  fertile  soils.  Irrigating 
about  one-third  of  all  the  lands  farmed,  this  state  now  yields  an  average 
crop  value  that  is  almost  three  times  larger  for  each  acre  cultivated, ^^' 
than  the  average  production  on  an  acre  of  tilled  land  in  any  of  the 
three  stat&s  that  exceed  California  in  total  annual  production  on  their 
farmed  lands.  The  abundant  soil-moisture  obtained  through  the  sup- 
plementary supplies,  has  enabled  the  responsive  soils  of  California  to 
produce  many  fold  under  irrigation  and  is  placing  this  state  in  a  fore- 
most position  among  the  states  of  a  nation  of  farms. 

Even  more  than  in  the  past,  will  the  future  be  concerned  in  the*^ 
extension  of  irrigation  to  additional  areas  and  the  perfection  of  the 
supply  for  those  lands  now  watered,  because  the  agricultural  lands  of 
this  state  are  now  yielding  to  capacity  under  the  conditions  of  dry 
farming.  It  is  therefore  essential  that  state  activities  should  be  guided 
by  thoughts  for  the  orderly  and  economical  development  of  its  water 
resources,  so  that  all  the  needs  of  civilization  for  water  may  be  supplied 
while  the  predominant  use  for  agriculture  may  expand  to  the  full  limit 
of  its  wealth-producing  powers.  In  this  report,  the  Department  of 
Public  Works  and  its  consultants  have  endeavored  to  compile  and 
present  information  on  the  water  resources  of  California  that  will 
enable  your  honorable  bodj'  to  guide  the  state 's  destiny  with  confidence 
and  wisdom. 

The  data  amassed,  the  comparisons,  the  computations  and  the  deduc- 
tions involved  in  preparing  this  report,  are  so  voluminous  that  they  are 
printed  in  four  separate  volumes.  Appendix  "A,"  ''Flow  in  California 
Streams,"  in  seventy-six  pages  of  text,  two  hundred  and  forty-four 
pages  of  tables,  and  in  one  hundred  and  eighty-five  maps  and 
diagrams,  describes  the  location,  the  volume,  the  source,  and  the  vari- 
ability of  occurrence  of  the  state's  waters,  and  the  capacities  of  storage 
works  required  for  their  utilization.  Appendix  "B,"  "Irrigation 
Requirements  of  California  Lands,"  in  seventy-six  pages  of  text,  one 
hundred  and  fifteen  pages  of  tables  and  seven  maps  and  diagrams, 
gives  a  digest  of  all  information  obtainable  on  the  past  use  of  water 
for  irrigation,  and  presents  an  analysis  of  the  future  requirements  of  all 

"'The  California  State  Department  of  Agriculture  estimates  the  average  value  of 
farm  products  per  acre  for  the  four  ranking  states  in  1922,  was,  in  order  of  their 
total  production:  Texas,  $27.50;  Iowa,  |21  ;  Illinois,  ?20  ;  and  California,  $59.50. 


]8  WATER  RESOURCES  OF  CALIFORNIA. 

of  California's  arable  lands.  Appendix  ',' C, ' '  "Utilization  of  the  Water 
Resources  of  California,"  presents  a  general  preliminary  plan  for 
obtaining  the  maximum  use  from  the  state's  waters  and  the  control 
of  floods.  Appendix  "D,"  "Relation  of  Settlement  to  Irrigation 
Development,"  discusses  colonization  problems  of  irrigation  projects. 
All  this  information,  basic  for  a  full  conception  of  the  potential  value 
of  the  state's  water  resources,  its  greatest  possession,  is  briefly  sum- 
marized in  the  chapters  of  this  report. 

A  general  preliminarj^  plan  for  achieving  the  greatest  service  from 
these  waters,  is  presented  as  requested  by  the  legislative  enactment  pro- 
viding for  these  investigations.  This  plan  outlines  a  scheme  of  coor- 
dinated development  whereby  a  maximum  accomplishment  may  ulti- 
mately be  obtained  whose  physical  works  for  storing  water  would  cost 
but  slightly  more  than  half  as  much  as  similar  attainment  under  an 
uncoordinated  plan.  The  canals  for  transporting  this  water  to  the 
regions  of  use  are,  many  of  them,  very  long  and  obtain  water  from 
several  sources,  pass  through  numerous  communities,  and  could  be  made 
possible  only  through  organization  of  large  sections  of  the  state.  With- 
out such  canals  much  of  the  state's  waters  will  go  unused.  Only  then, 
through  united  endeavors,  almost  statewide  in  extent,  can  the  maximum 
service  be  obtained  from  the  state's  waters. 

The  reservoirs  involved  in  the  maximum  development  of  the  state's 
waters  are  some  260  in  number.  These  and  twice  as  many  more  were 
examined  by  field  parties  in  these  investigations,  and  a  selection  made 
of  a  third  of  all  the  possible  sites  reported  on.  Time  did  not  alloAv, 
neither  did  the  preliminary  investigation  warrant,  a  detailed  examina- 
tion of  dam  sites.  Before  it  is  finally  known  that  the  selected  sites  are 
feasible,  borings  and  exploration  trenches  must  be  made.  The  canals 
outlined  on  the  map  of  the  comprehensive  plan,  largely  pass  through 
territory  of  which  adequate  maps  do  not  exist.  Many  surveys  must 
be  made  before  it  may  be  ascertained  that  these  canaLs  are  feasible  and 
that  they  are  in  the  most  economical  location.  It  is  therefore  recom- 
mended to  your  honorahle  body  that  fu7ids  he-  appropriated  to  pursue 
the  study  of  the  compu'eliensive  plan  in  greater  detail  than  has  been 
possible  for  this  report. 

It  is  also  desired  to  call  to  your  attention  the  value  of  records  of  the 
waters  flowing  in  California  streams.  Because  of  the  sporadic  way  in 
which  the  waters  pass  down  the  stream  channels,  reliable  estimates  of 
future  expectancies  can  only  be  made  from  uninterrupted  records  of 
many  years'  duration.  The  inventory  of  the  state's  waters  presented 
in  this  report  has  been  based  on  an  estimated  fiftj'-year  mean  flow. 
This  was  accomplished  \)y  expanding  records  of  measured  run-off 
through  comparison  with  precipitation  records  and,  on  many  streams, 
the  entire  estimate  of  run-off  was  obtained  by  comparison.  It  is  urgent 
that  provision  be  made  for  the  continuance  of  stream  gaging  records  at 
least  as  extensive  as  in  the  past,  and  some  increase  be  made  in  appro- 
priations for  this  work  if  possible.  The  construction  of  all  the  great 
hydraulic  works  on  which  the  future  wealth  of  this  state  depends, 
must  be  designed  in  accord  with  these  records  of  stream  flow.  It  is 
important  that  they  be  continuous  and  on  all  the  streams. 

Lastly,  the  desirability  of  stimulating  the  rate  of  rural  settlement 
in  California  has  been  pointed  out  in  this  report.  This  subject  is 
placed  before  you  as  one  worthy  of  your  attention. 


WATER  RESOURCES  OF  CALIFORNIA.  19 


CHAPTER  II. 


CALIFORNIA. 

Califoruia,  second  in  area,  but  first  among  the  states  of  the  Union  in 
value  of  natural  resources,  lies  between  the  Great  Basin  of  the  North 
American  continent  and  the  Pacific  Ocean.  Confined  on  the  north  by 
Oregon  and  on  the  south  by  Mexico,  it  constitutes  three-fifths  of  the 
western  boundary  of  the  United  States.  The  six  hundred  and  fifty 
miles  of  its  meridional  length  extends  to  over  nine  hundred  miles  of 
seashore  as  the  coast  line  pursues  a  diagonal  and  more  tortuous  course 
in  delineating  the  headlands  and  coastal  indentations  of  the  Pacific 
littoral. 

Within  the  two  hundred  miles  of  California's  average  width,  there 
are  23,000,000  acres  of  agricultural  lands  disposed  in  parcels  of  various 
sizes  and  separated  by  mountains  that  occupy  much  of  the  intervening 
space.  These  agricultural  areas  are  the  flat  and  rolling  lands  of  the 
state  that  have  soils,  disposed  in  appreciable  areas  of  regular  surface 
conformation,  suitable  for  the  production  of  harvestable  crops.  The 
grains,  fruits,  berries,  grapes,  vegetables  and  other  farm  produce  for 
which  California  is  famed,  are  grown  on  these  lands.  They  are  located 
on  the  valley  floors,  in  the  foothills  and  on  the  plateaus  of  the  state. 
Included  in  the  agricultural  areas,  are  lands  at  present  deficient  in 
natural  moisture,  but  more  or  less  conveniently  situated  for  the  ultimate 
acquisition  of  an  accessory  water  supply.  Slightly  over  one-half  of 
these  agricultural  areas  were  farmed  in  1920. 

The  non-agricultural  regions  of  California,  the  mountains,  are,  for 
the  most  part,  precipitous,  rocky  or  soilless.  Occupying  three-fifths 
the  area  of  the  state,  these  upland  regions  are  spacious  collectors  of 
precipitation  that  fill  the  stream  channels  with  water,  without  which 
much  of  the  state's  arable  lands  could  never  reveal  their  powers  of 
production  because  of  deficient  soil-moisture.  Although  they  are 
mostly  non-tillable,  nevertheless  the  mountainous  regions  have  supplied 
the  alluvial  earth  through  glacial  action,  weathering  or  erosion,  that 
their  streams  have  conveyed  to  lower  levels  and  deposited  there  to  be- 
come the  fertile,  productive  soils  of  the  agricultural  areas. 

California's  mountains  are  so  disposed  that  their  greater  part  is 
comprised  within  two  ranges.  These  diverge  in  their  southerly  course 
at  Mount  Shasta  within  forty  miles  of  the  Oregon  line,  and  leave  be- 
tween their  bases,  the  long  flat  valley  that  averages  a  quarter  the 
breadth  of  the  state  and  half  its  length.  Girdling  this  valley  in  their 
southward  course,  these  two  mountain  chains  proceed  in  long  sweeping 
curves  to  a  convergence  at  Tehachapi  Pass,  three-quarters  the  way  down 
the  state  from  the  north  boundary.  The  encircling  line  of  crests  of 
these  two  ranges  enclose  within  a  rock  Avail,  two-thirds  of  California's 
agricultural  lands.     This  wall  is  cleft  to  valley-floor  level  in  but  one 


20 


WATER   RESOURCES   OF    CALIFORNIA. 


O. 

M 

H 

I— I 

E-i 
O 
O 


< 

l-H 

P 

O 


WATER  RESOURCES  OF  CALIFORNIA.  21 

place.     Through   this   cutting,   the   interior    drainage    issues,   flowing 
westwardly  to  mingle  with  the  waters  of  the  Pacific  Ocean. 

The  mountains  to  the  east  of  this  Great  Central  Valley,  the  Sierra 
Nevada  Range,  extend  for  two-thirds  the  length  of  the  state  between 
Mount  Shasta  on  the  north  and  Tehachapi  Pass  on  the  south  and  their 
crests  are  the  highest  of  California's  mountains.  Serrated  and  pre- 
cipitous, their  altitudes  increase  from  north  to  south  and  culminate  in 
Mount  Whitney,  14,500  feet  high,  the  highest  peak  in  the  United  States 
excluding  Alaska.  Between  the  two  extremities  of  this  range,  many 
peaks  rise  to  heights  greater  than  SOOO  feet  above  the  sea  and  eleven 
peaks  pierce  the  clouds  to  more  than  14,000  feet.  In  the  northerly 
c|uarter  of  this  range  is  Lassen,  the  culminating  peak  of  its  vicinity, 
10,580  feet  high  and  North  America's  only  active  volcano. 

The  westerly  of  the  two  mountain  chains  encircling  the  Great  Central 
Valley,  the  Coast  Eange,  after  separating  at  Mount  Shasta  from  the 
mass  of  mountains  in  the  northern  part  of  the  state,  parallels  the 
margin  of  the  Pacific  Ocean  and  takes  a  somewhat  narrower  path  in  its 
southerly  course,  than  does  the  Sierra  Nevada  Range.  The  Coast  jMoun- 
tains  do  not  attain  the  elevations  of  the  Sierra  Nevadas,  neither  are 
they  so  diverse  of  surface  or  massive  in  structure.  Their  highest  peaks 
are  less  than  9000  feet  in  elevation  and  those  above  5000  feet  are  but 
few  in  number. 

Southward  from  the  convergence  of  these  two  ranges  at  Tehachapi 
Pass  and  on  to  the  Mexican  Border,  California's  mountains  continue 
as  a  single  chain.  Their  crests  are  less  continuous  and  their  main  axis 
is  less  easily  discernible  than  from  the  Pass  nortliAvard.  A  few 
dominating  peaks  rise  to  heights  of  more  than  10,000  feet,  but  their 
general  altitude  is  intermediate  in  elevation  between  those  of  the  Coast 
Range  and  Sierra  Nevada  Mountains. 

This  mountain  range  divides  two  very  diverse  regions.  To  the  west, 
the  Pacific  slope,  the  agricultural  lands  of  which  extend  from  the  ocean's 
margin  well  up  to  the  mountain  flanks,  is  an  intensively  developed  and 
highly  productive  area  of  moderate  climate  fluctuation;  while  to  the 
east  lies  an  undeveloped  expanse,  almost  rainless,  with  climatic 
extremes,  and  largely  unproductive  through  lack  of  an  accessory  water 
supply.  However,  there  are  extensive  productive  areas  in  Imperial, 
Palo  Verde  and  Coachella  valley's  which  have  acquired  irrigation  sup- 
plies and  are  realizing  on  the  great  fertility  of  their  arid  soils.  In 
this  expanse  of  flat  lands  and  mountains  is  Salton  Sink,  an  inland  sea, 
the  surface  of  which  is  more  than  250  feet  below  ocean  level. 

On  the  Pacific  slope  of  this  dividing  range  in  the  southern  quarter 
of  the  state,  in  its  broad  valleys  and  adjacent  to  the  seashore,  is  spread  • 
the  bulk  of  California's  agricultural  lands  that  lie  west  of  the  state's 
mountains,  in  all,  one-sixth  of  their  total  area.  These  lands  are  located 
mostly  along  the  streams  near  their  ocean  outlets.  Northward  from 
Santa  Barbara  Channel  they  are  scattered  rather  meagerly  along  the 
Pacific  margin,  for  their  continuity  is  interrupted  by  extensive  stretches 
of  precipitous  shore  line  that  rises  abruptly  from  the  water's  edge. 

To  the  east  of  Southern  California's  dividing  range  south  of  the 
Tehachapi  Pass,  one-tenth  of  the  state's  arable  lands  lie  between  their 
crests  and  the  state's  eastern  border.  Northerly  from  these  lands  and 
along  the  eastern  border  of  the  state,  another  tenth  of  the  agricultural 

4 — :i5712 


22 


WATER   RESOURCES   OP    CALIFORNIA. 


WATER  RESOURCES  OF  CALIFORNIA.  23 

lands  are  located  in  scattered  parcels  in  the  elevated  valleys  and  pla- 
teaus east  of  the  crests  of  California's  mountains.  These  are  mostly 
situated  at  elevations  of  from  4000  to  5000  feet  or  more  above  sea 
level. 

The  extreme  range  in  altitude  of  California's  variegated  surface  is 
from  two  hundred  and  seventy-five  feet  below  sea  level  in  Death  Val- 
ley, to  fourteen  thousand  five  hundred  feet  above,  attaining  this  eleva- 
tion at  Mount  Whitney,  but  seventy-five  miles  distant  from  the  lowest 
depression.  The  greater  part  of  the  fiat  lands,  or  about  one-fifth  of 
the  total  area  of  the  state,  lies  between  the  elevation  of  the  ocean's 
edge  and  five  hundred  feet  above.  These  flat  lands  comprise  the  gently 
sloping  ocean  littoral,  an  extensive  mountain-girdled  valley  known  as 
the  Sacramento-San  Joaquin,  and  the  almost  rainless  area  in  the  south- 
eastern corner  of  the  state.  These  regions,  33,000  square  miles  in 
extent,  include  the  bulk  of  California's  agricultural  area. 

Higher  in  elevation  than  these  flat  lands,  are  the  slopes  lying  between 
the  plain-like  areas  and  the  base  of  the  mountains.  These  are  the 
rolling  foothills  and  the  more  elevated  valleys,  lands  that  are  transi- 
tional between  the  plains  and  the  highland  regions.  Located  between 
500  and  2500  feet  above  sea  level,  they  comprise  about  one-third  the 
area  of  the  state.  One-quarter  of  all  the  agricultural  land  lies  in 
this  transitional  region,  and  only  the  scattered  parcels  in  high  moun- 
tain valleys  and  that  on  the  plateau  in  northeastern  California,  lie 
above  it. 

Higher  than  2500  feet  in  elevation  lie  the  mountains  proper.  For 
a  large  part  they  are  a  rugged  and  precipitous  region  of  steep  accliv- 
ities, of  rocky  extrusions  and  serrated  ridges,  and  of  deep  canyons 
and  rock-walled  gorges,  that  comprise  nearly  half  the  area  of  the 
state,  but  interspersed  at  intervals  throughout  this  highland  region  are 
mountain  valleys  and  meadows,  attractive  in  their  richness  and  scenic 
beauty.  The  mountain  and  foothill  regions,  together,  are  over  triple 
the  area  of  the  agricultural  lands.  In  receiving  greater  precipitation, 
the  mountain  regions  shed  large  volumes  of  water  into  the  streams 
and  rivers  and  are  the  source  of  nearly  all  of  the  state's  waters. 


24  WATER  RESOURCES  OF  CALIFORNIA. 


CHAPTER  III. 


CLIMATE. 


The  California  year  is  distinctive  from  that  in  most  other  states  of  the 
Union,  in  having  but  two  well-defined  seasons,  summer  and  winter. 
This  occurs  because  the  transitional  periods,  spring  and  autumn, 
are  brief  and  devoid  of  special  features  other  than  that  they  are  inter- 
mediate between  the  more  clearly  defined  seasons  of  summer  and  win- 
ter. The  summer,  or  growing  period,  is  long,  warm  and  without  heavy 
rains;  the  winter  is  the  dormant  period,  or  interval  of  retarded  growth 
in  the  annual  cycle  of  plant  life,  and  normally  is  short,  cool,  and  at 
times  stormy.  The  greater  portion  of  the  waters  precipitated  upon  the 
lands  of  California  fall  during  this  season  of  winter. 

The  covert  of  encircling  mountains  and  the  proximity  of  an  ocean 
that  borders  the  state  with  nine  hundred  miles  of  coast  line,  so  modifies 
California's  climate  that  only  moderate  seasonal  fluctuations  of  tem- 
perature occur  over  most  of  its  area.  Any  great  extremes  of  heat  and 
cold  that  do  transpire  are  confined  principally  to  the  high  mountain 
or  arid  areas.  On  the  low  lands  generally,  the  mean  monthly  temper- 
atures show  departures  from  the  average  for  the  entire  year,  markedly 
less  than  similarly  compared  heat  measurements  for  the  adjoining 
states  or  those  located  eastward  and  included  in  the  same  latitude. 

California  is  exempt  from  hurricanes  and  tornadoes,  and  though 
the  mountainous  regions  experience  days  of  intense  cold,  blizzards 
are  unknown  over  the  valley  areas.  Favored  of  nature  through 
immunity  from  devastating  tempest,  rigorous  cold,  and  enervating 
heat,  California's  climate  is  heralded  the  world  over. 

The  outstanding  features  of  the  state's  climatic  regime  are  the  rains 
of  winter  and  the  sunshine  of  summer.  During  the  winter  months, 
the  state  is  swept  by  moisture-laden  winds  that  traverse  large  areas  in 
their  journey  from  one  locality  to  another ;  while  in  the  summer  or  dry 
season,  similar  winds  may  blow,  but  they  are  rainless  and  serve  only  to 
modify  the  mounting  temperatures  that  ensue  from  continuous  sun- 
shine. This  distinct  division  of  the  year  into  a  short  season  of  inter- 
mittent drenching  rains  and  a  longer  season  of  warmth  and  sunshine, 
determines  that,  more  and  more,  in  the  years  to  come,  this  peculiarity 
of  climate  will  influence  the  activities  of  man  in  this  state.  As  greater 
numbers  of  people  elect  to  live  within  its  borders,  water  will  be  needed 
in  increasing  amounts  for  every  activity,  and  all  of  California's  waters 
originate  in  the  precipitation  concentrated  in  a  few  months  of  the  year. 

Of  greatest  economic  importance  therefore,  among  the  climatic  phe- 
nomena, are  the  moisture-carrying  winds  that  visit  the  state  at  annually 
recurrent  intervals.  In  blowing  over  the  land  areas,  these  winds  pre- 
cipitate varying  amounts  of  water  along  the  way  as  they  are  cooled, 
and  deflected  or  diverted  by  local  topography.  The  shelter  of  knolls, 
of  hills  or  mountains,  or  of  ridges  or  spurs,  may  lessen  the  amounts 
reaching  leeward  areas,  while  increased  quantities  may  fall  on  more 


Plate  I 


Plate  I 


25712    Facing  p,  24. 


WATER  RESOURCES  OF  CALIFORNIA,  25 

exposed  locations.  The  greater  cooling  of  the  air  upon  moving  up 
slopes  and  arriving  at  higher  elevations,  usually  inceases  the  precipita- 
tion in  the  mountainous  regions  over  that  on  lower  lands. 

The  annual  quantity  of  moisture  released  from  the  atmosphere  to  fall 
upon  the  several  parts  of  the  state,  is  as  variant  as  the  rugged  topog- 
raphy. ^^^  In  general,  precipitation  increases  in  depth  from  south  to 
north,  being  least  in  the  southeastern  corner  of  California  where  it  is 
nearly  zero,  and  greatest  in  the  North  Pacific  region  contiguous  to  the 
Oregon  line  where  the  mean  annual  rainfall  attains  a  depth  of  one 
hundred  inches  or  more.  The  mountains  generally  receive  more  than 
the  valleys  between  them.  The  greater  portion  of  the  flat  lands  have  a 
mean  depth  of  precipitation  of  less  than  twenty  inches  annually  and 
one-third  of  their  area  has  less  than  ten  inches.  Depths  of  more  than 
twenty  inches  are  mostly  confined  to  the  mountainous  regions  which  on 
their  more  elevated  portions  receive  from  thirty-five  to  one  hundred 
inches,  or  more.  In  the  highest  mountain  regions,  precipitation  occurs 
largely  as  snow ;  on  those  of  lesser  altitude  both  snow  and  rain  fall,  but 
the  mantle  of  snow  on  the  earth  is  of  short  duration;  while  the  areas 
lying  closer  to  the  ocean's  level,  seldom  experience  a  fall  of  snow  but 
receive  all  precipitation  as  rain.  The  mild  climate  of  this  lower  portion 
of  the  state  extends,  therefore,  to  nearly  all  its  flat-lands,  to  the  gently 
sloping  ocean  littoral,  to  the  extensive  mountain-girdled  valley  con- 
taining three-fifths  of  all  the  agricultural  lands,  and  to  the  rolling 
foothills  and  detrital-filled  valleys  transitional  to  the  highland  regions — - 
in  all  about  one-half  the  area  of  the  state. 

To  depict  the  features  of  rain,  temperature  and  frost  in  California's 
agricultural  areas,  Plate  I  has  been  prepared,  "Illustrative  Climatology 
on  Agricultural  Lands."  For  convenience,  the  tillable  lands  of  the 
state  have  been  segregated  into  sixteen  divisions  or  sections,  the  bound- 
aries of  which  are  shown  on  Plate  III,  "Map  of  Agricultural  Areas  and 
Duty  of  Water  Sections."  A  station  of  the  United  States  Weather 
Bureau  has  been  selected  in  each  one  of  these  sections  to  illustrate  its 
climatic  features,  and  the  mean  precipitation  and  temperature  for  each 
month  of  the  year,  together  with  the  frost-free  periods  for  each  one  of 
these  stations  is  graphically  delineated  on  Plate  I. 

The  top  section  of  this  plate  shows,  by  means  of  colored  columns 
drawn  upwardly  from  a  common  base  line,  the  mean  monthly  precipita- 
tion that  has  occurred  at  the  Weather  Bureau  Station  that  is  named  at 
the  foot  of  the  bar.  At  the  extremity  of  each  equally-spaced  cross-line 
on  the  sheet,  at  the  left  margin,  are  numerals  which  express  values  of 
mean  monthly  precipitation  in  inches  of  depth.  The  colored  columns  in 
intercepting  these  cross-drawn  lines,  indicate  by  their  height,  the 
amount  of  mean  monthly  precipitation. 

On  the  middle  sectioja  of  the  Plate  I,  the  mean  temperatures  that 
have  prevailed  during  each  month  of  the  year  at  the  stations  named 
above  them,  are  represented  by  similarly  colored  columns  that  also 
project  upward  from  a  common  base  line.  These  show  the  values  of 
mean  monthly  temperatures  by  their  intercepts  on  cross-drawn  lines 
that  are  numbered  with  temperature  values  at  the  left  margin. 

"'See  Isohyetose  Map  of  California  contained  in  Api>endix  "B"  to  this  report,  for 
complete  delineation  of  precipitation  over  tlie  state. 


WATER  RESOURCES  OP  CALIFORNIA.  25 

exposed  locations.  The  greater  cooling  of  the  air  upon  moving  up 
slopes  and  arriving  at  higher  elevations,  usually  inceases  the  precipita- 
tion in  the  mountainous  regions  over  that  on  lower  lands. 

The  annual  quantity  of  moisture  released  from  the  atmosphere  to  fall 
upon  the  several  parts  of  the  state,  is  as  variant  as  the  rugged  topog- 
raphy. ^^^  In  general,  precipitation  increases  in  depth  from  south  to 
north,  being  least  in  the  southeastern  corner  of  California  where  it  is 
nearly  zero,  and  greatest  in  the  North  Pacific  region  contiguous  to  the 
Oregon  line  where  the  mean  annual  rainfall  attains  a  depth  of  one 
hundred  inches  or  more.  The  mountains  generally  receive  more  than 
the  valleys  between  them.  The  greater  portion  of  the  flat  lands  have  a 
mean  depth  of  precipitation  of  less  than  twenty  inches  annually  and 
one-third  of  their  area  has  less  than  ten  inches.  Depths  of  more  than 
twenty  inches  are  mostly  confined  to  the  mountainous  regions  which  on 
their  more  elevated  portions  receive  from  thirty-five  to  one  hundred 
inches,  or  more.  In  the  highest  mountain  regions,  precipitation  occurs 
largely  as  snow ;  on  those  of  lesser  altitude  both  snow  and  rain  fall,  but 
the  mantle  of  snow  on  the  earth  is  of  short  duration;  while  the  areas 
lying  closer  to  the  ocean's  level,  seldom  experience  a  fall  of  snow  but 
receive  all  precipitation  as  rain.  The  mild  climate  of  this  lower  portion 
of  the  state  extends,  therefore,  to  nearly  all  its  flat-lands,  to  the  gently 
sloping  ocean  littoral,  to  the  extensive  mountain-girdled  valley  con- 
taining three-fifths  of  all  the  agricultural  lands,  and  to  the  rolling 
foothills  and  detrital-filled  valleys  transitional  to  the  highland  regions — 
in  all  about  one-half  the  area  of  the  state. 

To  depict  the  features  of  rain,  temperature  and  frost  in  California's 
agricultural  areas,  Plate  I  has  been  prepared,  ' '  Illustrative  Climatology 
on  Agricultural  Lands."  For  convenience,  the  tillable  lands  of  the 
state  have  been  segregated  into  sixteen  divisions  or  sections,  the  bound- 
aries of  which  are  shown  on  Plate  III,  ' '  Map  of  Agricultural  Areas  and 
Duty  of  Water  Sections."  A  station  of  the  United  States  Weather 
Bureau  has  been  selected  in  each  one  of  these  sections  to  illustrate  its 
climatic  features,  and  the  mean  precipitation  and  temperature  for  each 
month  of  the  year,  together  with  the  frost-free  periods  for  each  one  of 
these  stations  is  graphically  delineated  on  Plate  I. 

The  top  section  of  this  plate  shows,  by  means  of  colored  columns 
drawn  upwardly  from  a  common  base  line,  the  mean  monthly  precipita- 
tion that  has  occurred  at  the  Weather  Bureau  Station  that  is  named  at 
the  foot  of  the  bar.  At  the  extremity  of  each  equally-spaced  cross-line 
on  the  sheet,  at  the  left  margin,  are  numerals  which  express  values  of 
mean  monthly  precipitation  in  inches  of  depth.  The  colored  columns  in 
intercepting  these  cross-drawn  lines,  indicate  by  their  height,  the 
amount  of  mean  monthly  precipitation. 

On  the  middle  sectioja  of  the  Plate  I,  the  mean  temperatures  that 
have  prevailed  during  each  month  of  the  year  at  the  stations  named 
above  them,  are  represented  by  similarly  colored  columns  that  also 
project  upward  from  a  common  base  line.  These  show  the  values  of 
mean  monthly  temperatures  by  their  intercepts  on  cross-drawn  lines 
that  are  numbered  with  temperature  values  at  the  left  margin. 

"'See  Isohyetose  Map  of  California  contained  In  Appendix  "B"  to  this  report,  for 
complete  delineation  of  precipitation  over  the  state. 


26  WATER  RESOURCES  OF  CALIFORNIA. 

The  lower  section  of  the  plate,  designated  "Frost  Free  Period,"  has 
transverse  bars  which  progress  partially  across  the  paper.  In  so  doing, 
their  length  exemplifies  time.  The  space  between  the  left  and  right  hand 
margins  represents  the  full  twelve  months  of  the  year.  Vertical 
lines  divide  this  space  into  equal  units  of  time  and  the  monthly 
intervals  are  accentuated  by  heavier  drawn  lines.  Spreading  across  the 
sheet  and  crossing  these  vertical  lines,  the  sections  of  the  bars  in  solid 
color  show  the  duration  of  the  period  at  each  of  the  sixteen  Weather 
Bureau  stations,  within  which  frost  has  never  occurred.  Extensions 
of  the  bars,  hatched  with  colored  shading  lines,  show  by  the  distance 
between  their  extreme  ends,  the  average  duration  of  the  frost-free  period 
for  the  years  of  record.  The  bars  are  similarly  colored  to  the  columns 
of  temperature  and  precipitation  and  are  named  at  the  left  margin 
opposite  their  ends. 

Plate  I  illustrates  in  a  pictorial  way,  the  climatic  characteristics  that 
prevail  over  California's  agricultural  lands.  The  precipitation  section 
of  this  graph  shows  that  almost  without  exception,  the  rainfall  in 
amounts  to  be  of  much  value  to  agriculture,  is  confined  to  the  months 
of  November,  December,  January,  February  and  March;  while  the 
temperature  section  shows  that  the  period  favorable  to  the  growth  of 
plants  and  vegetation,  is  from  March  to  November,  inclusive.  Except 
for  March  and  November,  the  rains  in  California  occur  during  the 
time  of  the  year  in  which  most  plants  are  dormant  and  for  seven  warm 
months  of  the  long  growing  season,  the  rains  on  the  agricultural  lands 
are  light.  Thus  for  a  period  during  each  twelve  months,  California  is 
favored  with  precipitation-releasing  winds,  and  once  a  year  at  coincid- 
ing times,  the  mountain  ranges  are  clothed  in  snow,  foothill  eminences 
and  slopes  are  drenched  with  rain,  and  valleys  and  plains  are  wetted  by 
the  same  spacious  storms;  while  through  the  remainder  of  the  annual 
cycle,  sunshine  and  warmth  are  dominant  and  precipitation  is  small 
in  amount. 


WATER  RESOURCES  OP  CALIFORNIA.  27 


CHAPTER  IV. 


THE  STATE'S  WATERS. 

The  moisture-bearing  winds  that  traverse  California  during  the 
winter  season  precipitate  three  hundred  billion  tons  of  water  annually 
upon  the  surface  of  the  state.  Most  of  this  falls  as  rain  or  snow  upon 
the  mountain  areas.  This  precipitation:  as  rain,  strikes  the  surface  of 
their  slopes,  oft*  which  portions  run  toward  lower  elevations;  as  snow, 
it  mantles  the  earth's  surface  or  collects  in  wind-blown  drifts  to  await 
warmer  temperature  for  conversion  to  liquid  water,  that  may  likewise 
pursue  a  downhill  course  toward  the  ocean. 

These  moving  waters,  ever  .journeying  to  lower  elevations,  concen- 
trate in  the  ravines  and  gullies  toward  which  the  surfaces  slope.  They 
follow  the  steepest  gradients  and  the  most  deeply  cut  depressions  and, 
continually  enhanced  in  volume  by  like  accumulations,  restlessly  pursue 
their  downward  course  until  finallj^  they  become  engulfed  in  the  earth's 
vast  raservoir  of  waters — the  ocean.  Falling  on  the  drainage  areas  as 
precipitation,  concentrating  on  the  land  surface  as  run-off,  coursing 
down  the  water-channels  as  stream  flow,  these  waters  reach  the  ocean 
as  drainage;  and  so  by  returning  to  the  storehouse  of  waters  from 
which  they  were  first  vaporized  and  carried  to  the  mountainous  area 
by  the  moisture-bearing  winds,  they  complete  a  circuit  of  travel. 

The  same  storms  that  drench  the  uplands  or  clothe  them  in  snow, 
precipitate  lesser  amounts  on  the  lower  flat  lands,  and  this  almost 
entirely  as  rain.  Lacking  the  surface  inclination  to  put  the  water  in 
motion,  the  earth  coverings  of  these  lowland  areas  largely  absorb  the 
rains  falling  upon  them  or,  detained  in  pools  or  puddles  or  in  the 
saturated  top  soil,  they  are  later  evaporated  back  to  the  atmosphere. 
Only  during  extremelj^  heavy  downpours  of  infrequent  occurrence  do 
the  flat  lands  contribute  run-off  to  the  stream  channels. 

California's  Avater-produeing  area  is  the  mountains.  Influenced  by 
the  topography,  elevation,  and  exposure  of  the  divers  localities,  the 
storms  traversing  the  state  deposit  varying  quantities  of  water  on  their 
diverse  surfaces.  In  each  area,  however,  only  a  portion  of  the  waters 
cast  from  the  clouds  ever  reach  the  stream  channels ;  the  rest  is  dissi- 
pated through  evaporation.  This  division  of  the  waters  starts  imme- 
diately with  their  precipitation  from  the  rain  clouds  and  continues 
throughout  the  entire  water  movement.  Moisture  is  evaporated  from 
the  falling  particles  of  rain  or  snow,  from  the  gathering  waters  on 
their  catchment  areas,  from  the  snow  fields,  from  wetted  soil  areas, 
and  from  the  flowing  streams.  Water  is  also  vaporized  from  the  vege- 
tation that  grows  on  the  mountain  slopes.  Much  of  the  moisture  that 
Avets  the  earth's  surface  is  absorbed  by  the  root  systems  of  vegetation, 
so  that  where  trees,  bushes  and  undergrowth  are  dense,  large  volumes 
of  water  are  vaporized  through  transpiration  from  plant-surfaces.  So 
evaporation  is  persistently  in  progress,  and,  effectively  and  without 
respite,  reduces  the  volumes  of  water  precipitated  upon  the  earth's  sur- 


28 


WATER   RESOURCES   OF    CALIFORNIA. 


A  STREAM  IN  THE  SIERRA  NEVADA  MOUNTAINS. 


WATER  RESOURCES  OF  CALIFORNIA.  29 

face.  The  fraction  of  these  waters  finally  becoming  stream  flow  in  each 
season  may  be  less  than  one-fourth  or  more  than  three-fourths  of  the 
total  precipitation,  according  to  the  amounts  falling,  the  contingencies 
of  the  season's  weather,  and  the  circumstances  of  topography  and 
geology  on  the  catchment  areas. 

Except  as  it  falls  upon  frozen  or  nonabsorbent  surfaces,  precipita- 
tion upon  striking  the  earth  must  first  moisten  its  top-covering,  and  it 
is  only  after  thi^  has  become  saturated  that  waters  gather  on  the  sur- 
face to  journey  down  the  slopes  of  the  catchment  areas.  While  col- 
lecting in  puddles  and  pools  or  moving  down  the  slopes  in  streamlets, 
some  of  this  run-off  trickles  into  seams  and  cracks  of  the  mountain's 
rocky  structure,  while  other  ciuantities  are  absorbed  by  pervious  soil- 
coverings.  This  moisture  advances  by  the  attractions  of  gravity  and 
capillarity  and.  filling  the  pores  and  interstices  of  the  earth's  crust, 
penetrates  to  great  depths.  Although  usually  only  a  small  portion  of 
the  total,  these  percolating  waters  are  especially  valuable  to  man  in 
their  reappearance  at  lower  elevations  as  perennial  springs  to  moisten 
meadow  lands  or  to  increase  the  waning  summer  flow  of  brooks  and 
streams.  These  tardy  waters,  in  penetrating  the  subsurface  regions  and 
pursuing  a  dilatory  underground  course,  wet  the  beds  of  the  stream 
channels  the  year  round  and  furnish  nearly  all  of  the  dry  season 
stream  flow,  and  are  the  principal  waters  available  Avhen  the  great 
volume  of  winter  run-off  has  subsided.  Their  total  amount,  however, 
is  small,  for  three-fourths  of  the  run-off  from  California's  mountains 
concentrates  in  the  stream  channels,  hurries  down  the  water  courses 
and  passes  by  the  low-lying  agricultural  lauds  \^"ithin  forty-five  days 
after  its  precipitation  upon  the  earth's  surface. 

Follo^wing  precipitation  so  closely,  the  state's  waters  appear  in  the 
stream  channels  in  fluctuating  flows  having  a  striking  similarity  to  the 
periodic  occurrence  of  precipitation.  Plate  II.  "Characteristics  of 
Run-off  from  California  ^lountains, "  presents  the  hydrographs  of  five 
streams,  each  typical  of  a  separate  section  of  the  state.  These  hydro- 
graphs  show  the  run-off,  month  by  month,  for  the  greatest  year  and 
for  the  least,  as  well  as  the  mean  monthly  flow  of  all  the  years  of 
record.  For  convenience  of  comparison,  the  monthly  run-off  is  plotted 
in  per  cent  of  the  annual  mean.  These  hydroeraphs  show  how  the  bulk 
of  California's  waters  run  off  their  mountain  catchment  areas  during 
the  winter  months,  and  how  only  meager  quantities  flow  in  the  streams 
during  the  middle  and  late  sunmier.  The  great  variation  between  the 
rim-off  of  the  maximum  and  minimum  years  shows  the  wide  limits 
between  which  seasonal  run-oft"  fluctuates,  and  how,  in  the  smallest 
season,  the  usual  scanty  summer  flow  is  much  reduced  and  this  much 
earlier  in  the  season  than  in  other  years. 

This  investigation  has  studied  the  features  of  flow  in  all  the  streams 
of  the  state, ^^'  the  amounts  of  their  waters,  and  their  variability  of 
production.  All  discoverable  data  have  been  assembled  and  analyzed 
and,  although  actual  measurements  of  flow  are  available  but  for  a 
limited  number  of  years  on  the  major  streams,  through  comparison 
of  these  data,  quantities  have  been  ascertained  for  eveiy  stream.  For 
these  purposes  the  minor  streams  were  arranged  in  groups  and  these 
groups,  together  with  the  major  streams,  total  one  hundred  and  forty 
in  number.     The  location  of  each  one  of  these  streams  or  groups  of 

'•'See  Appendix  "A,"  "Flow  in  California  Streams." 


30  WATER  RESOURCES  OP  CALIFORNIA. 

minor  streams  is  shown  on  the  map  of  California,  Plate  IV,  "Prelimi- 
nary Comprehensive  Plan  for  Maximum  Development  of  California's 
Water  Resources."  Each  basin  bears  a  number  on  this  map  which 
refers  to  a  table  at  the  top  of  the  sheet.  This  table  gives  the  name  of 
the  stream  draining  the  basin  or  the  main  stream  in  the  group  of  small 
basins. 

An  audit  of  all  these  waters  is  presented  in  Table  I,  "Water 
Resources  of  California,"  in  which  is  a  complete  inventory  of  the  state's 
waters.  In  listing  the  flow  at  the  head  of  the  main  body  of  agricultural 
land  on  each  stream,  the  waters  in  this  table  are  practically  all  that  are 
available,  both  surface  and  underground,  for  use  on  the  flat  lands  of  the 
state  for  the  subterranean  waters  of  the  flat  lands  largely  receive  their 
supply  by  percolation  from  the  stream  channels  crossing  them  or  from 
percolation  of  diverted  waters  poured  out  upon  their  land  surfaces. 

The  first  two  columns  of  Table  I  contain  the  names  of  the  streams 
or  groups  of  minor  streams  and  their  reference  numbers.  Through 
these  reference  numbers,  information  that  is  too  voluminous  to  incorpo- 
rate in  this  summary  tabulation  may  be  conveniently  traced  in  the 
diagrams  and  tablas  of  Appendix  "A"  to  this  report.  Spread  out  in 
forty  columns  to  the  right  of  these  first  two  panels  are  values  which 
characterize  the  amounts  of  water  in  each  stream  and  its  variability 
of  flow. 

Of  these  columns,  the  third  contains  the  areas  of  the  drainage  basins, 
while  in  the  fourth  to  the  twelfth  are  values  of  their  run-oft'  expressed 
in  a  variety  of  units.  Included  among  these  entries  are  the  quantities 
of  wator  running  off  their  collecting  areas  in  an  average  season,  and 
in  the  seasons  of  greatest  and  least  run-off.  These  quantities  affixed  to 
each  stream  definitely  locate  all  the  state's  waters.  The  mean  seasonal 
quantities  express  the  average  amounts  in  which  they  may  be  expected 
to  appear  and  constitute  a  statement  of  practically  all  existing  waters, 
while  the  values  for  the  extreme  seasons  show  the  limits  between  which 
the  flow  of  successive  seasons  may  varj^ 

While  the  average  annual  water  production  of  all  these  streams  is 
72,500,000  acre-feet,  this  invoice  of  California's  waters  shows  that  the 
combined  maximum  yield  is  two  and  three-quarters  times  this  amount. 
and  that  the  combination  of  all  streams  for  the  least  seasons  is  but  three- 
eighths  as  much  as  the  average  annual  amount.  The  total  run-off  in 
successive  seasons,  then,  fluctuates  between  limits,  one  seven  times  the 
other,  and  the  value  of  any  one  season  lies  at  random  between  them. 

In  addition  to  changing  from  year  to  year,  all  the  streams  of  the 
state  have  a  fluctuating  daily  flow.  Inclusions  have  been  made  in 
columns  13  to  18,  and  35  to  42,  of  Table  I,  to  define  the  extremes 
between  which  the  daily  flows  are  accustomed  to  range.  Columns  13 
to  18  give  values  to  the  run-off  during  the  months  of  July  and  August. 
These  two  midsummer  months  are  times  of  the  year  of  nearly  the  least 
flow,  and  in  which  water  is  of  much  value  agriculturally.  The  quan- 
tities include  the  entire  month's  run-off  expressed  in  acre-feet,  and 
when  divided  by  sixty  afford  approximate  values  of  the  average  daily 
flow  during  the  low  water  periods  in  cubic  feet  per  second.  Con- 
trasting them,  are  the  values  of  flood  flows  in  columns  35  to  42.  These 
entries  are  of  special  import  in  not  only  indicating  the  upper  limits 
of  variability  in  stream  flow,  but   also   in  indicating  the  maximum 


Plate  II 


110 
100- 

90- 
80- 
70 


0    0 


30- 


o 
5  20 


SACRAMENTO  RIVER 


1904 
VEAP  OF  MAXIMUM  RUNOFF 


MEAN  RUNOFF 


lllhi.,-,ii 


1898 

YEAR  OF  MINIMUM  RUNOFF 


u.    2    <    2 


<     to     O     Z      Q 


State  Department  of  Public  Works 

DIVISION  OF   ENGINEERING   AND   IRRIGATION 

California  Water  Resources  Investigation 

chapter  889..   I9il    STATUTES 

25712    Facing  p.   30. 


110- 
100- 
90- 
80- 
70- 

60- 

u. 
u. 
O 

_l 
< 

< 

<  30- 

Li. 

z 

S  10- 

z 

Li. 

t     n 

PUTAH  CREEK 
1909 

VEAR  OF  MAXIMUM  RUNOFF 

L-    1 

z 
a 
i30- 

Z 

0 

s  20- 

lOJ 
0^ 

k 

MEAN  RUNOFF 

20- 
10- 

1912 
YEAR  OF  MINIMUM  RUNOFF 

aiaj™Q™33       30U0       aj 

D50- 


S40- 


o    0 


J  30 


o 
2  20- 


10- 

0- 
20- 

10- 


TUOLUMNE  RIVER 


1907 

YEAR  OF  MAXIMUM  RUNOFF 


MEAN  RUNOFF 


1898 

YEAROF  MINIMUM  RUNOFF 


5     <     5 


<     U)      O     Z      Q 


110- 

100- 

90- 

SANTA  YNEZ  RIVER 

80- 

1914 

YEAROF  MAXIMUM  RUNOFF 

70- 

.60- 
u. 
O       - 

z 

^50- 

< 

ho- 

hi 

5  30- 

s 

1 

u. 
0 

K20- 

1 

u      - 

Sio- 

li 

z 
li. 

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2:      - 

BBBw»— — 

- 

^30- 

1- 
Z 
0 

^20-  H 

1 

MEAN  RUNOFF 

1 

1 

, 

20- 

1912 
YEAROF  MINIMUM    RUNOFF 

10- 

-ll.- 

"ii;2<2^^<cooz 

u 

V 

Q 

CHARACTERISTICS  OF  RUNOFF 

FROM 

CALIFORNIA  MOUNTAINS 


WATER  RESOURCES  OP  CALIFORNIA.  31 

volumes  of  water  which  flood  protection  works  may  have  to  withstand. 
Comparisons  of  these  flood  values  with  the  low  water  flows  of  July  and 
August  disclose  a  surprisingly  great  range  in  the  rate  of  flow  in 
California's  streams. 

As  an  average  over  the  whole  state,  the  greatest  daily  flow  exceeds 
five  hundred  times  the  least.  In  taking  values  between  these  wide 
limits  on  every  day  of  the  successive  years,  the  greater  flows  exceed 
the  lesser  ones  in  all  degrees  of  magnitude,  but  the  very  large  ones  are 
the  most  infrequent  in  occurrence.  To  give  perspective  to  the  occur- 
ring frequency  of  exceedingly  great  flows,  the  values  that  may  be 
surpassed  within  intervals  of  twenty-five,  fifty,  seventy-five,  and  one 
hundred  years,  are  tabulated  in  columns  35  to  42.  These  greatest 
values  of  mean  daily  flow  constitute  the  floods  of  California's  streams. 
It  is  to  be  observed  in  general,  that  once  in  twenty-five  years,  the  extraor- 
dinary values  of  daily  flow  swell  at  least  forty  fold  the  average 
volume  in  their  channels ;  and  that  once  in  a  hundred  years,  even  these 
may  be  exceeded  by  flows  that  are  one-quarter  larger. 

So  large  are  the  volumes  of  water  that  pass  down  the  state's  water- 
ways during  these  great  floods  that  the  rate,  which  is  only  exceeded  on 
an  average  of  four  times  a  century,  would  send  a  plethora  of  waters 
into  the  ocean  within  four  days,  whose  aggregate  is  equivalent  to 
the  entire  production  of  every  drainage  basin  in  the  state  for  their 
seasons  of  least  flow.  During  but  one  of  these  days,  the  total  flow 
would  be  ample  to  supply  an  urban  population  of  seventy  millions  of 
people  with  domestic  water  for  a  year,  or  to  irrigate  four  million  acres 
of  agricultural  land  through  an  entire  season,  or,  still,  to  generate 
one  hundred  thousand  horsepower  continuously  for  twelve  months 
when  dropping  through  a  height  of  one  hundred  feet.  Nevertheless, 
these  volumes  of  water  are  largely  useless  to  man  because  of  their 
extremely  infrequent  appearance  in  the  stream  channels.  The  waters 
of  lesser  floods,  however,  may  be  caught  by  storage  works  constructed 
in  the  mountainous  regions  and  be  detained  for  later  release  to  supple- 
ment the  weaning  natural  flow  in  the  streams.  By  such  detention  of 
the  flood  waters  for  subsequent  use,  the  erratic  run-off  may  be  equalized 
and  made  available  to  man  at  times  convenient  to  his  special  purposes. 

The  greatest  fractions  of  the  mean  seasonal  flow  which  may  be  con- 
strained to  man's  service  through  retention  in  storage  reservoirs,  are 
set  forth  for  all  the  streams,  in  column  20  of  Table  I,  and  in  column 
21  are  found  the  storage  capacities  required  to  do  this.  The  yields 
from  lesser  amounts  of  storage  are  given  in  columns  23  to  34.  The 
maximum  yield  possible  from  the  entire  water-producing  area  of  the 
state  is  58,300,000  acre-feet  annually,  or  80  per  cent  of  the  mean 
seasonal  run-off.  To  secure  this  maximum  yield  would  require  a  total 
capacity  in  storage  works  of  184,900,000  acre-feet.  This  volume  is 
slightly  greater  than  three  times  the  annual  equalized  yield.  Such 
large  proportional  amounts  of  storage  are  not  needed  if  smaller  frac- 
tions only  of  the  mean  seasonal  flow  are  equalized.  Capacity  for  stor- 
age of  twice  the  net  annual  yield,  will  develop  70  per  cent  of  the 
mean  annual  run-off  from  the  state's  drainage  areas,  and  when  this 
capacity  is  .just  equal  to  the  annual  yield  in  volume,  it  will  develop 
40  per  cent  of  the  mean  seasonal  run-off. 


WATER  RESOURCES  OP  CALIFORNIA.  31 

volumes  of  water  which  flood  protection  works  may  have  to  withstand. 
Comparisons  of  these  flood  values  with  the  low  water  flows  of  July  and 
August  disclose  a  surprisingly  great  range  in  the  rate  of  flow  in 
California's  streams. 

As  an  average  over  the  whole  state,  the  greatest  daily  flow  exceeds 
five  hundred  times  the  least.  In  taking  values  between  these  wide 
limits  on  every  day  of  the  successive  years,  the  greater  flows  exceed 
the  lesser  ones  in  all  degrees  of  magnitude,  but  the  very  large  ones  are 
the  most  infrequent  in  occurrence.  To  give  perspective  to  the  occur- 
ring frequency  of  exceedingly  great  flows,  the  values  that  may  be 
surpassed  within  intervals  of  twenty-flve,  fifty,  seventy-five,  and  one 
hundred  years,  are  tabulated  in  columns  35  to  42.  These  greatest 
values  of  mean  daily  flow  constitute  the  floods  of  California's  streams. 
It  is  to  be  observed  in  general,  that  once  in  twenty-five  years,  the  extraor- 
dinary values  of  daily  flow  swell  at  least  forty  fold  the  average 
volume  in  their  channels ;  and  that  once  in  a  hundred  years,  even  these 
may  be  exceeded  by  flows  that  are  one-quarter  larger. 

So  large  are  the  volumes  of  water  that  pass  down  the  state's  water- 
ways during  these  great  floods  that  the  rate,  which  is  only  exceeded  on 
an  average  of  four  times  a  century,  would  send  a  plethora  of  waters 
into  the  ocean  within  four  days,  whose  aggregate  is  equivalent  to 
the  entire  production  of  every  drainage  basin  in  the  state  for  their 
seasons  of  least  flow.  During  but  one  of  these  days,  the  total  flow 
would  be  ample  to  supply  an  urban  population  of  seventy  millions  of 
people  with  domestic  water  for  a  year,  or  to  irrigate  four  million  acres 
of  agricultural  land  through  an  entire  season,  or,  still,  to  generate 
one  hundred  thousand  horsepower  continuously  for  twelve  months 
when  dropping  through  a  height  of  one  hundred  feet.  Nevertheless, 
these  volumes  of  water  are  largely  useless  to  man  because  of  their 
extremely  infrequent  appearance  in  the  stream  channels.  The  waters 
of  lesser  floods,  however,  may  be  caught  by  storage  works  constructed 
in  the  mountainous  regions  and  be  detained  for  later  release  to  supple- 
ment the  waning  natural  flow  in  the  streams.  By  such  detention  of 
the  flood  waters  for  subsequent  use,  the  erratic  run-off  may  be  equalized 
and  made  available  to  man  at  times  convenient  to  his  special  purposes. 

The  greatest  fractions  of  the  mean  seasonal  flow  which  may  be  con- 
strained to  man's  service  through  retention  in  storage  reservoirs,  are 
set  forth  for  all  the  streams,  in  column  20  of  Table  I,  and  in  column 
21  are  found  the  storage  capacities  required  to  do  this.  The  yields 
from  lesser  amounts  of  storage  are  given  in  columns  23  to  34.  The 
maximum  yield  possible  from  the  entire  water-producing  area  of  the 
state  is  58,300,000  acre-feet  annually,  or  80  per  cent  of  the  mean 
seasonal  run-off.  To  secure  this  maximum  yield  would  require  a  total 
capacity  in  storage  works  of  184,900,000  acre-feet.  This  volume  is 
slightly  greater  than  three  times  the  annual  equalized  yield.  Such 
large  proportional  amounts  of  storage  are  not  needed  if  smaller  frac- 
tions only  of  the  mean  seasonal  flow  are  equalized.  Capacity  for  stor- 
age of  twice  the  net  annual  yield,  will  develop  70  per  cent  of  the 
mean  annual  run-off  from  the  state's  drainage  areas,  and  when  this 
capacity  is  just  equal  to  the  annual  yield  in  volume,  it  will  develop 
40  per  cent  of  the  mean  seasonal  run-off. 


32  WATER  RESOURCES  OP  CALIFORNIA. 

All  these  hydrographic  quantities  of  Table  1,  while  having  charac- 
teristics which  qualify  the  state's  waters  as  a  whole,  vary  considerably 
for  the  separate  drainage  basins.  Nevertheless,  adjacent  basins  are  suf- 
ficiently alike  to  render  distinction  to  whole  regions  by  reason  of  their 
special  values.  These  regional  values,  in  departing  from  the  ones  for 
the  entire  state,  are  still  only  indicative  of  the  predominating  charac- 
teristics of  large  areas.  Individual  basins  within  the  regions  may  have 
features  widely  different  from  those  predominating  over  them. 

The  six  large  topographic  divisions  of  the  state  have  such  predom- 
inant regional  characteristics.  Of  these,  the  Sacramento  Drainage 
Basin  is  the  largest.  It  comprises  not  only  all  the  area  lying  between 
the  Coast  Range  and  Sierra  Nevada  Mountains  as  far  south  as  Suisun 
Bay,  but  also  the  drainage  area  of  Pit  River,  to  the  east  of  the  moun- 
tains and  in  the  northeastern  corner  of  the  state.  This  large  basin 
contains  one-fourth  of  tjie  state's  water-producing  area,  and,  with  the 
exception  of  the  North  Pacific  Coast  region,  it  produces  more  than 
any  other  of  the  six  divisions  and  one-third  of  all  California's  waters. 

The  San  Joaquin  Drainage  Basin  is  second  largest  of  the  six  topo- 
graphical divisions,  but  produces  only  one-sixth  of  the  waters.  This 
basin  comprises  the  entire  area  between  the  Coast  Range  and  Sierra 
Nevada  IMountains,  southerly  from  Suisun  Bay  to  Tehachapi  Pass. 

The  third  largest  division  is  the  North  Pacific  Coast  region,  which 
includes  all  the  streams  draining  in  the  Pacific  Ocean  northward  from 
San  Francisco  Bay.  It  contains  only  one-fifth  of  the  water-producing 
area,  but  its  streams  contain  over  one-third  of  all  the  waters  of  the 
state.  This  is  a  greater  yield  than  in  any  other  of  the  divisions.  For 
equal  area  it  produces  one-third  more  water  than  the  Sacramento  Basin 
and  over  twice  that  of  the  San  Joaquin.  This  region  contains  the  most 
productive  drainage  basin  in  the  state,  the  Smith  River.  Although 
its  collecting  area  is  only  627  square  miles  in  extent,  the  mean  annual 
run-off  is  nearly  three  and  one-half  million  acre-feet. 

The  region  that  drains  into  the  Pacific  Ocean,  southward  from  San 
Francisco  Bay,  is  called  the  South  Pacific  Basin,  and  for  its  size  is  the 
region  of  smallest  water  yield.  Although  containing  one-sixth  of  the 
drainage  area,  but  one-twentieth  of  the  state's  waters  run  off  its  slopes. 

Next  in  size  is  the  region  of  the  Great  Basin,  which  comprises  the 
areas  easterly  from  California's  principal  mountain  system,  and  whose 
waters  do  not  reach  the  ocean.  One-tenth  of  the  water-producing  area 
of  the  state  is  in  this  region  but  it  yields  only  one-twentieth  of  the 
waters:  its  increment  in  total  is  about  equal  to  that  of  the  South 
Pacific  region. 

The  smallest  of  the  six  topographic  divisions  is  the  area  adjacent  to 
San  Francisco  Bay,  exclusive  of  the  Sacramento  and  San  Joaquin 
rivers.  This  locality  contributes  only  1  per  cent  of  the  total  waters 
of  the  state. 

There  is  a  great  difference  between  these  six  regions  in  the  manner 
in  which  their  waters  run  off  the  collecting  areas.  Generally  the  regions 
of  least  productivity  have  the  greatest  variability  in  run-off  and 
demand  the  largest  capacities  in  storage  works  to  equalize  their  vari- 
able stream  flow.  The  South  Pacific,  the  least  productive  of  the  six 
_  state  regions,  requires  almost  three  times  the  storage  capacity  necessary 
to  obtain  the  same  relative  effects  in  equalized  stream  flow,  as  the  North 
Pacific  region,  the  most  productive  of  the  six  state  regions. 


TABLE  1.      WATER   RESOURCES   OF   CALIFORNIA. 


tMUttVHk 


•BbdbiI  Cioa  O 


SAN  JOAQUIN  BASIN. 


LllUfiuhia  Cnxk 


UN  FHANCISCO  BAY  BASINS. 
*IVu)biu  Crrrk  Graip 
-'     m  Crwk  Tnl>ul»ni« 
.  _.t  Kim  Tnbulva 
•Aumo  Creit  Gtngp 
*Ml  Diablo  Cratk  Urc~.p 

Baa  baadta  Onct 
■Claraittnl  Cn*k  Group 
Su>  UwiuoCrvek 

JUuDoU  Cmk 

.onCwkCr™,, 

CoTCU  Rira 

Cvadilot*  rtjitt 

*L»  Giba  Crok  GcMp 

Jan  FiomiidUi  Crvk 

*3aij  MiUo  Cndi  Uioup. 


Saioiiil  run-dS  Iram  <]niii>(E  ma  abort  lb 


ill  body  of  atmultunJ  bnda. 


pH 


I31.8U) 

ss.a» 
u.:ao 

019.1(10 

e.v»,ooa 
i.isi.MU 


sta,(w 

t3I.S(» 


1 10.80) 
27.100 

U.SOO 


Z4«l 


iBS.l«l 

rajwo 

1S.O0O 


tJJW 
iE.tao 

19.100 


s.zoo 

80,100 
0.000 
BSJOI 


i.f0M00 

S.I10.7D0 

mtoo 

121.100 
1JM.40CI 


1M0.MO 

s,zja.oua 

J,170.«» 
IW-tOO 
I.M1,J«I 

8,182 

t.iM 

;s 

113,800 
I.DU.TOa 

iKi.m 

J.1S0 

2,rw 
3;tos 

3,809 

ssu.8da 

1.807,100 

22.700.000 

3.810,000 

83»W0 

3JW 

2.ST7 

13.090,000 
812.000 
*.170aW 
117  JOO 
1,117.000 

3,U) 

ill 

4,287 

209,000 
1.818,000 

1J3B,000 


iS.100 
iljoo 

4ii.iMa 


lO.UQ 
2U.81U 
14,100 


J7,!»00 
2!t,70O 

aajmu 


1,I81,UOO 

»n.ooo 

1.412.000 


118,100 
I2.>W 

ui,aiw 
H7Da 

21V,I00 


Mpg.900 
1,2X1,100 
Z,IH.iOO 


4,700 
1,1»I,«>0 


4V.UM 

T.SO0 

3H.O00 

0 

470,000 

0 

4,100 


KO.OOO 

£81.000 

0 

82)00 

too 

2V.400 

179.000 

U 

ice.0D0 


iSf. 


10,200 

}gT.ioo 

40>n 

8,800 


fi2.10U 

zso 

S,t70 


84.700 
17,000 


17,900 

u,toa 

Ki.lXO 


&g7,9oa 

2tl) 
3,370 


,SL^ 


Hun-olI  durinc  Auiuit. 


J37.800 
USOO 
6.000 

771,800 
ll>00 

2I,SD0 
100 
2,475 

I29,7C« 

19,100 
8,000 

24,600 
370 
1.070 
3;7B0 

01,800 

s'ooo 

11,400 

tAW 

urn 

42,toa 
2iM,Doa 


WiU'r-yidd  for  irrigitlan 


sliird  Bow  Id  itrcama. 


MiumuiD  Dit  yiM  pc«ibli>. 


l,37S,KO 
H.US.UOO 
1.3U.»0 


7»,aso 

34S.S80 
1tf.710 


2.175.130 
37.770 
328,830 


7.350 
fi,4Hl 
H,490 


1,015,830 
1,470 

49,880 
3.430 
4S,740 


48,180 

12,380 
12.100 
18,500 


15,760 
3,4«) 
63.670 


2,798,770 
201,3(10 
427,300 


3.7IS.750 
7.358.080 
2.7M.0OO 
115,500 
9,630,8911 


10,587.000 
493,500 
8,039,940 
194.250 
t.ll3,7M 

38,860 

s,uui.oin 

319.000 
8II.I00 
1.470.760 

I30.S0n 
1,172.000 

1.383.400 


33.1,000 
1.74B,(MD 
141,900 


4,113800 

lOtitOO 
30.800 
121.860 

31.630 
30,730 


43.9O0 
833.900 
1,317,150 

233,000 
1,103,800 


3M.7W 
lt2,4W 
606,tWO 
310,000 
200,400 


70,000 
11,960 
383,300 
70.400 


NeljicWor4Dp.rc. 


SlonlF  capBFily  miuiml 


117,940 

165,320 
3,071.600 

<62:»da 

143.100 

X860:S10 
370,370 
143,350 

3,113,400 

70,760 
1.001,040 

1,840.230 
105,680 

1,007,090 
Z2,S«U 
K»:350 

13,&I0 

l,m,780 
20,300 

322,000 

32,!iSO 
1,113,670 
M,010 
108,500 
321,900 

38,880 
23i40a 

168,730 

46.100 
ITS,S00 
368,970 

41,320 

10,810 
5,000 
3,900 

38,210 

18,000 


37,020 
8,^0 


32,010 
8,800 
37,400 


549.030 
882.070 
334.150 

73.900 
301,850 


37,320 
2.O80 
37.080 

33,520 
3,800 
40,630 

3,330 
5,120 
IhOOO 

1     8.300 

0,760 

29,iS0 

453.  00 
823.  20 

a,  40 

630,  00 
.   3,  90 

430,730 

473,800 

0,740 

"S 

8,720 
136,600 

13,870 
300,640 

IJ  24,050 
1J8I,18D 

45,530 
H0.70U 
176,030 


4,064.500 
578.700 
179.300 

2,641,780 
99,700 

U3e,3ao 

34,aS0 
300,360 


277,500 

48,100 
391,000 
310,900 


53,400 
13,650 
8.250 
»,S80 
47,300 

17  ,740 
44,720 
23,500 
1  ,870 

303,540 

23,500 
380,200 
33,850 

1B9.000 
342.180 
60,070 

34.150 
3,800 
33.850 


449,050 
48,600 
»1,000 


17,800 
57,600 
39.350 
34,000 


2.800 
40.050 
11.000 
34JS0 


787,740 
1,303.430 
493,270 


143,070 
253,080 
45.680 
in.MO 


I.4S8.030 

34,390 
305.350 


54,7,«l 
170.400 
499,500 


12,040 
14,720 
3,780 


73.790 
30,970 
126,720 
4g.K3a 


24.870 
33,310 
30,880 
189.080 


NdlyicMofBOrerwDlof 
Kuoaiu  mo-oR, 


176,940 
547,980 
6,967,400 
694.440 
318,010 

3,170,100 


30,460 

1,009,140 

43,800 


56,320 
351,600 
363,030 


5.3ID 

335.600 

4.800 


77.550 
101,930 
425,380 

471,8(0 

1,598,330 
G,I66,9S0 
868,050 
329,730 


74,470 
I8.6«0 


37,890 
633,000 
583,770 
151,920 
693.900 


38,330 
35.010 
61.500 


1,043.720 

1941530 

145.6(0 

741,230 

TTOwM 


Kton^  capacity  requind 


1,943,310 

i,ii3,»(a 

54,170 


U0,3I0 

6.950,300 
310,160 
350,830 

3.698.4U 
139,580 

1. 856 ,8a) 
34.790 
238,750 


531,230 
-     14,480 


1,430.830 
47^310 


5,334,310 

3,13T.4«0 
1B9.3»I 


141,000 
370,430 
809,250 


5,070,360 
403,770 

2,917.860 
78,530 
635,150 


1,084,560 

u.iio 


oldmnacT 


Hom  fur  24  boui 
in  maioiludf  er 
tlian  Ubulalol  v 


ElpWlod  OCC  UTfTBC*  o(  ODM 

I  Tit  24  boun  Diua) 


100.500 
31.KW 
9,300 


fvrtlDU 

HUAfVIEUll 

oldmufi 


50,400 
48LI0O 
50.400 


13.000 
64,100 
180.000 


146,500 
0,010 
11.T00 


110.000 

"19.600 


11.100 
4.170 


1).4IH 

'"suoo 


5,«60 

2,640 
3,H0 


8iwt  for  34  boun  equal 
in  ciuf  ailudt  or  cmlct 
tbu  IkbuUlcd  niat. 


17M0 
43,200 

5.070 
11.300 


305.000 
i63,6o6 


11,000 

'iiao' 


I4.ID0 

19,900 


12.010 
10,660 


la  160  -nan  of  timt" 
flovi  F»  24  boun  ciual 
in  macmtaile  or  paUr 
than  labuUtal  TtTuc. 


125.400 
45.000 

10,300 


160,000 

9.no 

33.800 


1.450 

43.100 
1.460 

13,100 

io',3io 


IIJOO 

19.400 


SACRAMENTO  BASIN, 
pjmjlecitt  Rim  (Uppn)  abon  Pll  Ritw. 


•flMkbooe  Cratk  Gt™p 

ChwOnek 

Canmaood  Owk  , 
laHnnKDla  Rinr  t|  Bid  Glue 


'ntdBukCndtareop,'. 
SuBfOmk. 

OiikQHk 

PtHakOwk    . 


SAN  JOAQUIN  aASIN. 
"Ornliata  Creek  Oroop 


•YokDli]Cciid.Gto»B 

Kambllirw  .      "^ 

'UadiibCrwkCicoijD,.,   . 

KwRlnr 

DtrOutk 

SMjOMuinlljmllJppir) ,. 

CoUaaaood  Oeck 

rrWDO  Riiv    

•Oaulton  Cmk  Group 

Ctomhilb  RiTCT 

'Dulrliniin  OwtGnjup ., 

•Qxrn  r„.,l,' 

U«u  rrrr  k 

■Ourn*  Ctt»k  Group 

MtMmt  Rit»r    .  ,. 

rgolumng  Hinr  . .    . 

'Wildcit  Cmk  Croup 

StaniilBW  Itiw 

UUtjohB  Cr«t 

•MirWliOraikClOTp....   .,       ,, 

CiU.c™.Rim 

MnkEluBuic  (titer  .     , 

*%  I  Id  Oak  Group 

OvuDms  HiTtr 

Tot4li  and  emm  Tdc  SU  Jctq^  B^ 
S»N  FRANCISCO  BAY  BASINS. 


■Ml  tjiaUnCrftckOroup 

aw  l-tiio  ftt-k 

naa  Lnndio  Crt«k    ... 

*ChniDonl  Crack  Group. 

ak»  Loreua  Cnek 

Alamnla  Cmk 

•MiarioB  Crwk  Group 

PouleiciA  Ct«ek 

UvDlaRJRf 

0»il»Jup»  lUnr, 

*Lw  Galia  Owk  Group , ,  

9aa  »ueaaiuU  0«k   

"Sui  ^t^tfo  Crwk  Group 

TuUU  *flj  imia  tor  Su  Ffucwo  Bay 

NORTH  PACinC  BASINS. 
Sniilh  Kiirr 
Kkmilti  Hiirr 
»bttti  lUtci 
Scull  R,ni 
Stbooa  Kint 


_  _'»bIo  Ciwt 
Su  IfBodni  Crrrt 

Sid  Li»i(uoCn:«i 
AIudbIi  CikI; 

iiiBC™lGfuuj 


Sui  FriKi»]iuIo  Cwk 


NOFTTH  PACIFIC  BASINS, 


-         Ri.tr 


•Giolili  Hirer  Gtouv 

*Siaj™  Cr«t  CJroup 
•BoTmu  Ciwi  Orwijr 


«  KorU  f^&c  &*Bat 


auU  Vcibil  Cmt 
a»n  LuB  Rtj  Itiiw 
"    ta  Ma/^nts  River 
It  iiciula  itivtt  Tnhulvia 

ita  AiB  Rim  Tribuuria 

1  Cabntl  RiTw  Tntrulvia  . 

■La  Ar«Els  Itinr  TnbuUrici  . . 

■KUibu  Ri™  OroMp 

■&sl>  Clan  River  tribuLuis  . . 

•Jika  Oiwii  Urwp.   . 
&DU  Ym  Rintr     . 


*Sbn  Lud  Obtf^  Crrrl  Grcnip 
■StlitiM Rov Tribvtana  .    ... 

•fuwo  niv«  Tribuluia 

■Snqud  Owk  Group 

'I^aadcniCniikGroap. 


ToUbudn 


u(iirSDalbi>H)SaSMiH 


GREAT  BUI 
Tulc  Itlu  Ctnuy 
■Go*  IaIu  Uruup       .    . 

•Coabcttd  Ukr>  Buln 

•Surpmt  Villry  Orogp  .  . 
■Middint  FbiuOrvup 

-Sciwh!  Cmli  Group  . 
■E^fle  UU  Gruip 
'HoACT  L*if  Gf^Tup 
'Uk(  Tibw  Bsu 
TiMckH  Rivet 


MdolK  Modon  Group 


wGralBuiB  . 
MurorSuU    . 


»^6 


».«oo 

UODD 

S.OTJ 

K).i<n 
n.ooo 


70,»W) 

iis.soa 


18,900 
II.IW 

1S,7S0 

a,<BO 

«,670 


i,(ie.«xi 

lll.WO 

ia.«oo 


S9(i.eoo 

I^.IDO 


3J«7,S(I0 

201,700 
SSLMO 


3,K9 
3,173 

I,3U 


i7S.no 

110.400 
272.300 


S,2M 
1,470 
3,4tl0 


ias,5oa 

1M.600 
41.400 


ie.5Da 

11,440 
3,470 

7,390 
13,9W 


144,700 
13,300 
8.000 


l.i:iI,5W 
339,760 
730,740 

I.UW,7»U 


13.400 
SJ,00O 

01,400 


121.100 
69.200 
KSMO 

ntao 

207,100 

121.700 
Ml  MO 
!7a.Sil0 
270  MO 
l»),10U 


720,S0O 
5S3,40O 

307,000 

T&i!wo 

£99.001} 

J.0O7>0(l 
139.400 


3.U0 

700 

10,600 

99,WI 


I2J2O0 

2,900 
9,500 


7.700 
1,700 
2.90U 


3.300 
41200 


271,100 
32,200 
&,40U 
M,MW 


392,700 

i».3oa 
HMO' 

1.117,00 
1.119.100 
I.U9,IOO 

276.000 

H8.no 

1.070,000 


510.600 
711 OCO 
231.300 
407,7<XI 


33/WO 
13,6'Xi 


32.IS0 
48,140 

ioi.ua 


241.930 
340.H0 
l!tS,tKI 


U.;60.100 


S.SIS.MO 
7.SO3.S10 
791.100 
I.IM.MO 


1,253,110 
2.2M,I00 
6.Sie,39D 


141.900 
132.O0O 
213.910 
140.360 


l,3a].4S0 
1,391.190 
07.010 
10S.44a 
902:660 

U24,0S0 
IJU.2S0 

48.520 
110,700 
ITfl.020 

1,770.080 

473!oau 

1,416.000 

00,800 

1,167,740 
101.490 
113.860 

1,(79.400 
TB.4MI 

4:11.210 
5U.1» 
IH.WO 
330.980 
H6.U0 

103,030 
191,280 

t90!89a 
1,1:13,280 

M,C80 
49.860 
14,910 

41,030 
91,290 
10,400 

110,080 
12.8.S0 
1.190 
33.090 
t4.UQ 


39,400 
132,310 
101,400 


113,000 
lSA.filO 
111,910 


111,340 

139,900 
33,440 

30,280 


14,190 

12,700 
10,440 

70.800 

!S 

)p,i<8a 

r7,iM 

101,390 
90,01U 
18.400 

11, sw 

S8,W0 

i>i.s3a 
asisoo 

113.600 
18.160 

317.600 

IBJOO 
(3.200 
0,010 
K),9iO 

:8.120 

a:ffi 

73.150 
tl.160 

69,080 
384.790 
111,920 

31,570 
1,1)9, teo 

sa,800 

va.48a 
ao,i2o 
»,ooo 


i7,480 
18,810 

&7,4iO 


34.000 

8,600 
9,450 
12,300 


13,800 
3,900 
40,050 
11,000 


118,700 
591,250 
3,020,000 


105,800 
124,850 
708,300 


139,10) 
130,050 
01.060 


169.080 
35,760 


803,580 
579.130 
3,603.200 


231.060 
526.910 
1.728,250 

SS.870 
76.310 

20.950 


334,050 

1.635,230 
395,900 
268,700 


iiaa 

41,450 
58,300 

im 

06,110 
116,130 

18,800 
4S.500 
195,400 
180.500 
1U.O0O 

430,040 
313,100 
359:260 

87,600 

(ilioo 

50.000 
66.150 
07.830 

16,600 
173,<H0 

119,240 
7i:830 
93,010 

lolioo 

19,690 
23,010 
25  080 
157:120 

USJW 

6:™ 

67,720 
371800 

3110 

48,090 
13,200 


9,013.710 

J,04a,€10 
145,560 

311,990 


133,920 

577,110 
197,280 
197,940 
113,580 


827,750 
6,013.100 
138,470 

039,390 
1.174,770 

331.860 


3,310 

as 

10.630 
112:100 

31,180 

150.400 

169,900 
303,900 

401.550 
4*5.760 

90,110 
85:400 
88.180 
87,380 
10,300 

10,320 
211.020 
104,560 
134.020 

79,700 

166,860 
68;»20 

4 1,720 

98.300 

u:^ 

155,320 

17.050 

14,100 
25,070 


,2.381,810 
3.SB7.4M 
160.S2O 
391,770 
870,480 


7I1,4») 

013,710 
271. ira 
5M.7eO 
901,910 

92,110 

70,730 
25,920 


354,200 
iO,MO 


1.143,310 

1.802.170 


90.530 
121,940 
68^550 


35,500 

9,300 
27,300 


40,300 
91,470 
100,810 
11,010 


15.600 
16.750 

13.130 
1S,U»0 


93,300 
110,900 
13,210 


(7.1B0 

o.wa 
H,6ia 


1.771 

11,500 
3.03) 


131, AM 

42.500 
M,I20 


18.370 
77,090 


*Mt  DitbiD  cnok  Qraii^ ::;::;; . 

San  PaUa  Cmk     .    . 
Su  UudtQ  Cratk 

*Clu«iual  Owk  Gruup 
Sui  Lornuo  Crri>k 
Aluncdi  Cnil 

'MiODDii  Onli  r,t..i,i, 

PauUacin  Cn<k 

Carols  River 

Gnulklupc  Ritrr 

■Lm  G»l«  Cmk  Group 

9iii  Fr»nciigL.,io  Or— k  ... 
•Sp  Milfo  Ovk  Grmip  .... 
f  "•-!-  md  naua  tor  S»a  F>uicaoo  Bi 


NORTH  PACinC  BASINS. 

Riiw. 

KkEOalh  itirtr 

Silmoa  Rjnr 

TKnilr  Kiiu 
Hed«oodCTOk 
Mid  Kiw. 
Edltinr  .. 
■"      Cretk. 


10.470 
15,730 

16,370 


UoiptUiCmlE 
ISiliiiotiCmkr.rciip,.. 
"BoUnM  Onk  Graup, . . 

TolakudtM 


■  rocMorthricifieBi 

SOUTH  PACinC  BASINS. 

SMKp|[oIti.ef.... 

SMtik  YmIh]  Cmk 

Eu  Luii  Ki^y  Riw 
&a)aMinonUHin»:'" 


*StDJu> 


0  Riiw  TribaU 


nuo 

lB,i66 


^l>  \Ba  Hirer  Tnlutvia 
"Su  Gibrict  Oinr  TnbuUnM 

Iff  ,?'«''"  f*"™  Ttibgl»r«l 

•.*Wibul{)»erOroop     ... 
'SuuClMRim'njbiittriM 

Voaliui  Hirer 

•Jilinn  Cnik  Qroup 

SmU  Ynci  Riis. . , ,  . , 

SuAnlonioCwdi 

tMU  Muia  Rinr. 

*Sm  tub  (itun  Crttk  Croap  . .    . 

*Sdiiai  Rira  tVibuUiu* 

•Puijo  Hirer  TWbiiUrita . 

•Siiutl  Owk  Group 

•P«aJua  CWk  Gronp 

ToUb  tnJ  nuooi  loc  Soutb  PfHt  Bi 

GREAT  BASIN. 
•Tile  UXe  Group 
■GwvUke  Group 


'B»Dif  Uka Group.  .... 

*Uka1Ua(B«M  

Tr*ckMitint... 

Wat  Fork  OtnooRiow.. 
Rati  Fork  CknaaRJiir,.. 
WalVFtlkuRlra 

Eut  Wiiker  llinr. . .  .. 
■Urao  Uka  Grovp  .... 

■AioU  Madova  Group. . . 
*OnaRiirs(Droa)  ... 

'Ubop  Onk  Omop 

•OnM  lAk>  Qn«]> 

MojinItil« 

■Alldops  Villoy  Group . . . 
Wlitcnltf  RiTW.   . 


•OTaEAMS  GBOUPED  IN  ONE  ENTRY  IM  TABLE. 


re  mileikddilionL     EMT*bla49, 


17.    Cbvra  Cnck.  Stillnltr  Cnck. 

30.    Ajb  Cntk  Bar  Crak. 

U.    BackboDt  Cr«k,  Rmk  Cntk.  Olur  Cnck. 

17  MiQ  Cnck.  D«r  Cittk.  Anltlopc  Cnik.  Bit  CUro  Cr«k.  Litllt  CtiHo  Cieck.  S)-aaon  HoSow,  Sbnp 
HoUn,  Griub  BoDo*.  Mud  Cmk.  Hock  Cnck,  Pioe  Crack,  Ziaimnbed  Crack  Cwntl  Ctetk,  RilUoukt  Croak.  9li«ct 
Oaak.  Bniah  Creek.  Rio  do  U*  BrmaioL 

4a    Bulla  Cnck.  Utllo  Dnr  Cmk.  Char  Crnk.  Gold  Rua  Crnk.  Cbimlrn  Rjiine,  C«l  Ouyon. 

60,  North  Hoocut  Crttk.  South  Hoocul  Crak  ffjTDUO  Cnek,  WysnduUr  Cmk,  Dry  Creek. 
51.    CoDD  Cmk  Antdoic  Crnk.  Auburn  R*%-iat. 

M,    RanliCr(*k,Niinb  Fork  Red  BiDk  Cnck.  Sstrtli  Fork  Red  Bank  Creit 
57,    Elder  CVerk.  Tbotna*  Crock.  Ria  Cmk. 

50.  BwEbrizht  Cmk  WUIo*  CnA.  Ldcu  Crak  Buelcn  Cmk,  Funti  Crnk.  Stout  Corral  Crack.  &i>d  Crirk. 
Frtabnlo  Cndc  Salt  Cnck.  epnnt  Cratk.  C«nin.  Cratk. 

61.  LiUlaPuiiiclic  Cnck.  iMQiaSaB.'lrllvliC  Cmk,  LaaBaoinCrtKk,i^iiLuBCretk.aoDaro  Crock  Q<iinlo 
Clwk,  MuaUu  C^ack.  Gaiua  Crrrk.  Crow  Croct  Uroiliinba  Crwk.  Ullle  iWadi  Creek,  SdaJa  Crwk.  Puerlo  Crtrk. 
lD(rvB  Cmk.  HoapiUl  Crak.  Duron  Airs  Crack.  Mouolaio  Uouic  Oreik.  Builo  Crock,  Kallou  Cruk.  Mtnb  Cmk. 
Looc  Tree  Crock.  Eoiid  Crork,  Dry  Creek.  Dm  Creek. 

64.     Domeopu  CneL  Mirliaa  Creek,  Gall  Creek  Canliu  Crick,  Antyo  HdiiId.  Amno  Cinrvo. 

66  Wtltlaai  Cmt  JnaliUa  Creek.  Japaiu  Creak.  Blltemter  Creek.  Danl  nirr  (>Kk.  Modia  Agu,  Cbico 
Manioea  Cratk.  Sail  Cnck.  BiUrr  Cnck.  &nlia(o  Cmk.  Livec^  Cieek.  Ika  Eimtdio  Crack.  Pinto  Cretk.  Tecuia 
Cncfc.  Qnpenae  Creak,  Pailoha  Creek.  Tuna  Crack,  EJ  hio  Cnck,  Tajon  Cn<  SmD\ca  Creak.  Cwou  CrcEk.  Guu 


CrackjATona)  Creek.  CaUoowood  Caojrst.  Fruidaeu  Cratk.  Pukwood  Creak.  Bu«u  VUta  Cnck.  Billemlcf  Creek, 

90.  Wlitafiinr.  P<»o  Cmk.  R»4  Gulch. 

72.  YokoU  Creek.  Learii  CnxbHoiac  Crisk. 

T4.  Ucnekila  deck.  RtltlMnake  Creek.  Stoke*  Creek.  Sud  Creek.  Wvtvke  Credc  Groty  Cre«k. 

80.  Dry  Creek.  DaullOD  Cmk. 

82.  DuUbmiu  Creek.  Dadmani  Croak. 

84,  OweuB  Cieck,  Milca  Cnxk. 

M.  Bunii  Cnek,  Black  Raeol  Creak,  Fahraoa  Creek. 

89,  WildalCraek.  Dry  Cmk. 

02,  Mulclla  Cmk,  Bar  Creek,  Rock  Creels  Bii  Sprint  Creek,  PcuhyaCrtck. 

OS  Dr,  Creek.  n^lowCmtBotlcrCreet      *•>-"**■         -^ 

97.  Konfo  Creak.  GbUIrm  Creek.  Sao  Anlonio  Creek.  Adobe  Cmk.  Lyneb  Cmk.  Htuio  Creek.  Toliy  Crwk. 

OS  U'oill  Vallry,  Acua  Calicata,  Qookn  Crc«k.  attnit  Cmk,  .Sunt  Canyon  Creek.  Sonoma  Cmck.  donama 

W).    Conn  Crmk   Rector  Canyon,  Soda  Creek  .Millikao  Oeek.  Earco  Creek.  Tulway  Cnek.  Suaool  Creek,  [ako 
Cliabat  S)ilrin.  N«lh  Bnncb  Napa  Cmk,  South  Braneb  Nipa  Creek.  Dry  Cmk,  Sulpliur  Snrinn. 

100,  &1U110  Creek,  Uallii  Cmk,  L<xlte-i>od  Creek.  Gmn  Valley  Crock.  Sulphur  Spriup  Crcii 

101.  Kirker  Creek   Ml,  Diablo  Creek,  Walnut  Creek.  Redao  Occk.  Fioolc  Creek. 


107.     hruaion  Cnek,  A[ui  CUIcoLo  Cnck,  Ami  Pri*  Cree^  Torogu  Cmk.  Scott  Cmk.  Oalcnt  Cnict  .inoyo 
do  loa  Coebei,  Berryeau  Creek.  Dry  CrecL  Silni  Cmk. 

111.    lAaUatiB  Cmk.  San  ToinuCre«k;  Campbell  Cmk. Calaboioi  Cmk.  Steniu  Creek.  IVmuDente  Cmk, 
113.    IiUi  Crock.  SiD  BruQD  Creek.  San  Malw  Creek,  loutl  Creek.  BeUasDl  Cmk,  Tu'cu  Creek,  CordiUmi 

125.  Uul  Cmk.  Wade  Creek,  Ten  Mils  Cmk,  Noyo  Ririr.  Bit  Rinr,  Albion  Creek. 

127,  DoDshDe  Creek.  Elk  Creek,  Alder  Creek,  Bnub  Creel,  Ouoia  River.  Gualila  River, 

130,  WBlkcr  Creek.  San  ADlonJa  Creek,  ^luion  Creek. 

131.  Bolioaa  Creek.  InteruD*  Cieek,  Olcma  CrecL 
136.  Ebn  Jacinto  Hirer,  Indian  Creek.  Foppelt  Creek,  PoUro  Creek,  Bsutiato  Oeek.  Cului  Valley  Cmk. 

"     ~     '       "'        Mill  Crock.  Sand  Cmk,  Cil/  Creek  Plunio  Crock,  Stnwbcrry  Croak.  Walsrman  Canyon, 
"      Creek.  Lylle  Cioek.  in  A  -     -     - 

jTCmitljii  Chilton "cinyon. 

13V,     Pacoinu  Cnck.  Tuiuofk  Cmk.  Arroyo  fno.  LllUe  Tujunci  Canyon. 

110.  Dumo  Crock.  Ramgra  Creek.  Solallee  Creek,  CaUcClai  Creek.  Sycimoro  CroJc,  Arroyo  Soquil.  Trani 
Caoyaa,  Miilibu  River.  Topanfa  Crirk,  Ruilio  Crock). 

141.     Sanig,  Paulo  Creek  Bspo  Creek,  Pini  Creek,  (^talc  Creek.  Hin  FronoUauita  Cmk.  Douiiuut  Creek. 

141     Hincon  Creek.  San  Antonio  Cmk.  Jolama  Cmk.  Qxida  CmL 

147.  Uranda  Creek,  &d  Luii  Oblini  Cmk.  DiaUo  Creek.  CeOD  Creek.  lalay  Crack,  ftn  UtmordD  Cmk,  Mu 
Cnck,  Torn  C^etk.  VlQa  Creek,  Sasla  Itcia  Craek.  Su  Simeon  Creak.  Arrays  if  U  Crui,  Btt  8ur  Creak,  Ultle  : 


Creek.  C^naiJ  Itiior,  San  Canajo  River,  Corral  de  Rolr*  Creek,  Bnuiolan  Creek,  Sterner  Craek,  PenoinclonOek,  Son 
Lukito,  Davi)  Canyon,  Wild  Chrrry  Caiiyoa,  Oitbls  Crayon.  Uvtard  Canvoa,  Cioir  Bar  tWon.  Pecho  Creek.  Willow 
Creek,  Old  Cmk.  CuyaMB  Creek.  Pico  Creek.  Ultla  P^eo  Cmk.  Biem  Creek.  Arroyo  Boodo,  Amyo  de  loa  Chioi* 
Joabui  Creek,  Salmon  Crt.fc  Viili  Cnet  Alder  Crwt  WUlow  Creek,  PrertUtt  Cmt,  Wild  CalUe  Creek.  Mill  Cnck, 
Polo  Colorado  Ca^vn,  Doud  Creek,  Wild  Cat  CrMk  Oianite  CooyoD,  Milpaio  Creek.  Sobcnnea  Cnek. 

118.  Toro  Creek.  Pine  Canyon.  Limcfciln  Craek.  Alial  Craek,  Quail  Creek,  fman't  Crock.  Johnafln  anyoD. 
Arroyo  Stco,  Relli  Cnek,  Shirttad  Cmk.  Ckalono  Creek.  &n  Culoa  Canyon,  Aqua  Gnnde  Cinyoa,  Monroe  ^Oyoo. 
ThomiHon  Canyon.  Branaletter  Canyon.  Pino  CanyoB,  Cherry  Canyon,  Kant  Canyon,  Seven  Well  Oonyon.  Folia  ^wod, 
EepinoiB  Canyon,  Uroadbunt  Canyon,  Barrel  Can)vn,  Sao  Loreoio  Creek.  Snetwatei  Canyon,  Wild  Hoih  Oknyuo, 
Uanilton  Canyon,  Iaiii  Valley  Oeck.  Pins  Valley  Creek,  Redwood  Canyon,  Lyneb  Canyon.  SariODl  Canyon,  ^linii 
River,  &n  AdIouId  Cnck.  Nacimiuilo  Rinf,  Son  Uarooa  Cmk.  Hucrhuero  Creek.  EilroUa  Creek,  Vineyanl  CaoyOO, 
Stone  l^!aoyon. 

liortteadero  Cmk.  U  BnB  Cmk,  Oodfiik  Creek.  Little  Arthur  Creek.  Vni  Creek.  Llaeu  Cmk.  Pacheeo 
Cmk.  Arroyo  de  loa  Yllnnii,  .Irroyo  doi  Flchaea.  Saalt  Ana  Crock,  Tm  Finis  Creek.  Sao  Benito  Cmk.  Binj  Creek. 
Sin  Juan  Creek. 

160.  San  Vieeole  CroV,  Liddell  Crmk. Rapid  Cnek.  Lofuna  Creek.  Coja  Creak.  Baldwin  Creek.  Mcder  Cmk. 
Arroyo  de  lea  Friiotm.Wli.le  II suae  Cmk.  CucodaCmk.  Omn  Oab  Cmk.  Aao  Nuovo  Cmt  Finny  Croak,  Qaio* 
Crest  WadJcIl  Crrek,  Soult  Creek.  S»n  Loranio  Cmk,  a-iuol  Cmk..Apto>  Creek. 

151.  rilaroiOB  Cmk.  Pu;iniiu  Creek.  Trinilai  Crock.  Son  Gre«oria  Croclc  Fompoaio  Cn«k.  FeMadaro  Clock, 
Lobltea  Greet  Freuebman'a  CreeL  Deniditoo  Creek.  Sen  Yicanla  Creek.  San  Pedro  Creek. 

151    Bulla  Crack,  Aulelepo  Creek,  ColLonwDod  Cmk.  Loel  Binr. 


Dry  Cmk.  Coltoawood  Qvk,  Osl  Cmk  Raider  Creek,  Eadt  OrMk.  Bam  Cmk. 
ISO.    Hed  R    '  "     ."..--         "     .    -     .    _    -^    ,. 

117.    Smoke , 

158.    Pine  Creek. 

160,    Suaan River. Baiter Crtok. Lonj Valioy Cmk.  „    ,    „        .^   .   ,      ,  ~,. 

160,    Mtiff  Creek.  Ward  Cmk.  Blackwood  Creek.  Madden  Creek.  MsKlDDoy  Cnek.  Gcoeril  Creak.  Lonely  Gnteh, 


Umw  Truckoe  Hirer,  Taylor  Cmk. 

166.  Mill  Creek.  '"liL-l*  C.rj.yon.  Leevi. 

167.  Chvdaipi  (■-,■.■    '    ••-*■--..-    r- 
Piute  Creek,  Sirot.  < 

191    Uwem  H      ■ 

190     Pino  Cro 
Fmnun  Cntk.  SL.-. 
Creek.  Hod  MouoUt,  ■ 
■    ■         ■      cCrett  Pl 


ic  Cnek,  P»rta»  Crtck.  Ruib  Cmk.  Walker  Csoyoo. 

-'■••  Marble  Cmt,  Cold«ler  Canyon.  Lone  Tm  Creek  ifUner  Creek. 

-luu-nLo  Canyon.  .UeUea  Canjiin.  Black  Oayoo. 

■■  n  Crwk.  ^^eC;«  C»oyon.  Birth  Creek.  B»b«  Cmk.  Rawaon  Oek 
!■.;  Pine  Cmk.  Liiil.  Mn*  Cmk.  Binh  Creek,  War  Cmk  Tiaemaha 
.  ..Jilg  Cmk.  Dit-inon  Cnck.  Sawmill  Cmk.  TbbaulCrecl.  Oak  CVeck. 

'Ho^^clij  CrljA&a.rii'cmk'u^  Creek.  Hofhack  Crect  Lone  Pine  Creek.  Tnlll.  Ctwk.  DleU  Crwk. 
Rlchor  Crrek.  Carrol  Creek.  Cutlonmxd  Cmk.  Alb  Creek.  Braley  Cmk.  CorthaCD  Creek.  Ulaooba  Creek.  Walktf 
Creek.  Summit  Cmk,  Hajne  Creek,  Hotbaek  Cmk. 

173    Amartaa  Creek.  LilUi  Reek  deck.  BiK  Rock  Cmk. 


ISTi:    Fki-liiB  V.  XI. 


WATER  RESOURCES  OF  CALIFORNIA.  33 

Of  the  basins  of  intermediate  water  productivity,  the  Sacramento 
and  San  Joaquin  are  about  equal  in  relative  storage  requirements. 
Although  the  streams  of  the  San  Joaquin  drainage  have  a  much  greater 
range  in  variation  of  annual  run-off  than  those  of  the  Sacramento,  the 
bulk  of  the  San  Joaquin  waters  run  off  later  in  the  season  than  those 
of  the  Sacramento,  and  so,  in  general,  storage  works  are  about  equally 
effective  in  each  basin.  These  two  basins  require  slightly  less  storage 
capacity  for  equal  relative  results  to  that  required  by  the  North  Pacific 
region,  for  the  North  Pacific  region  has  the  smaller  summer  flow  in  its 
streams.  However,  the  relative  storage  requirements  in  these  three 
regions  are  nearly  alike. 

The  San  Francisco  Bay  region,  because  of  its  smaller  fluctuation 
in  annual  run-off  than  the  South  Pacific,  and  greater  than  the  Sacra- 
mento or  San  Joaquin,  falls  intermediate  in  effectiveness  of  storage 
on  its  streams,  between  the  South  Pacific  region  and  the  three  great- 
est water  producing  basins  of  the  state,  in  which  storage  capacity,  on 
the  whole,  is  nearly  equally  effective.  Almost  twice  as  much  capacity 
in  storage  works  is  necessary  in  the  San  Francisco  Bay  region  to  gain 
equal  relative  results  in  equalizing  its  stream  flow  as  in  either  of  the 
Sacramento  or  San  Joaquin  basins. 

The  relative  amounts  of  storage  required  to  equalize  stream  flow, 
largely  pertain  to  the  range  in  variation  between  years  of  maximum 
and  minimum  run-off  and  to  the  apportionment  of  the  annual  run- 
off between  the  winter  and  summer  months.  The  North  Pacific  region 
has  the  smallest  variation  in  annual  run-off,  and  there  the  maximum' 
is  only  five  times  that  of  the  minimum  season.  The  maximum  year  in 
the  Sacramento  Basin  is  six  times  the  least,  while  in  all  the  other 
regions  the  variation  is  much  larger  than  in  these  two.  In  the  San 
Joaciuin  it  is  fifteen  times  the  least,  in  the  San  Francisco  Bay  region 
it  is  seventy  times  the  least,  and  in  the  South  Pacific  the  year  of  max- 
imum run-off  is  one  hundred  times  the  least  year. 

While  the  San  Francisco  Bay  region  has  the  smallest  portion  of 
its  waters  wetting  the  stream  channels  during  the  summer  months,  the 
Great  Basin  drainage,  east  of  the  Sierras  and  southern  California  moun- 
tains, is  distinguished  by  having  the  largest  apportionment  of  summer 
flow  of  any  of  the  six  regions.  The  streams  of  the  San  Joaquin  Basin 
are  next  in  order  and  those  of  the  Sacramento  not  far  behind.  The 
North  Pacific  region  has  an  intermediate  apportionment  in  the  sum- 
mer months  between  that  of  the  San  Joaquin  and  that  of  the  South 
Pacific  region. 

Similar  comparisons  may  be  made  between  any  of  the  individual 
drainage  basins  in  the  state  by  referring  to  Table  I  in  the  proper 
columns.  The  flow  in  all  streams  during  the  largest,  the  smallest, 
and  the  average  season,  as  well  as  during  the  midsummer  months,  is 
there.  Also  the  storage  capacity  required  to  equalize  their  variant 
flows  and  the  size  of  extreme  floods  are  enumerated.  So,  comprised 
within  Table  I,  is  a  complete  inventorj^  of  all  the  waters  of  the  state, 
which  includes  their  locations,  their  quantities  and  their  variabilities. 
The  valuer  entered  in  the  table  are  averages  for  the  past  half  century 
and  should  be  indicative  of  future  expectancies,  so  that  this  table  pre- 
sents in  full  the  water  resources  of  the  State  of  California  with  their 
characterizations. 


34  WATER  RESOURCES  OP  CALIFORNIA. 


CHAPTER  V. 


UTILIZATION  OF  THE  STATE'S  WATERS. 

Only  one-half  of  the  wide  expanse  of  California  contributes  much  to 
the  waters  of  its  streams.  The  other  half,  lower  in  altitude  and  more 
even  of  surface,  is  favorably  disposed  for  occupancy  by  man,  and  its 
populated  sections  need  water  in  order  that  their  industrial  expansion 
may  continue  and  their  communal  civilization  progress  steadily  onward. 
The  production  of  food,  the  generation  of  power,  and  the  supply  of 
water  for  domestic  use,  in  the  drier  half  of  the  state,  are  largely  depend- 
ent upon  the  waters  of  the  streams  which  have  their  source  in  the  more 
elevated  regions.  The  farmer  relies  upon  the  streams  during  the 
warm,  dry  summers  for  supplementary  moisture  to  mature  his  crops 
and  upon  their  hydro-electric  energy  to  pump  his  irrigation  waters. 
The  electric  energy,  generated  by  the  waters  of  the  streams  as  they 
descend  the  mountains'  slopes,  furnishes  power  and  illumination  to  the 
industrial  centers,  and  light  and  heat  and  means  of  operating  many 
conveniences,  to  the  entire  social  state.  But  most  of  all,  the  cities, 
towns,  and  villages,  the  pleasures  and  comforts  of  their  congregated 
peoples,  require  these  waters  in  abundance  for  drinking  and  household 
purposes.  The  expansion  of  all  these  benefits  to  include  larger  popula- 
tions, demands  increased  supplies  of  water  for  the  future  with  uninter- 
rupted service  in  purity  and  plenty,  at  all  times  of  the  year,  and  in  all 
successive  years  alike. 

The  vital  importance  of  water  in  the  economic  development  of  Cali- 
fornia is  succinctly  shown  in  the  history  of  the  state 's  production.  By 
1920,  with  but  three  per  cent  of  all  the  people  in  the  entire  United 
States  residing  wdthin  California's  borders,  this  state,  eighteenth  in  the 
area  of  land  farmed,  was  fifth  in  position  among  the  states  of  the  Union 
in  value  of  farm  crops;  and  while  in  the  eighth  position  in  value  of 
manufactures,  was  second  in  the  installed  capacity  of  water  wheels  for 
the  hydro-generation  of  electric  current.  Since  1920,  this  state  has 
advanced  from  fifth  to  fourth^ ^*  among  the  states  of  the  Union  in 
value  of  agricultural  products. 

The  advance  to  so  favorable  a  comparison  in  agricultural  output  with 
the  other  forty-seven  states  of  the  Union,  has  been  made  without  any 
increase  in  the  total  area  in  improved  farms.  In  fact,  thirty-five  years 
have  elapsed  since  the  aggregate  area  in  improved  farms  in  California 
has  increased.  Although  there  are  twenty-three  million  acres  of  land 
susceptible  of  agriculture  within  the  state's  borders,  the  enlargement 
of  the  area  tilled  ceased  when  but  half  of  the  total  had  been  brought 
under  cultivation.  As  a  result  of  the  unprofitable  farming  conditions 
obtaining  on  the  remaining  millions  of  acres,  the  area  under  cultivation 
did  not  further  enlarge ;  the  experience  of  the  practical  farmer  limited 
the  total  area  cultivated   to  but  half  the  agricultural  lands.     Some 


"'Statistics  of  California  State  Department  of  Agriculture  shoW  that  this  state  was 
exceeded  in  value  of  agricultural  products  by  Texas,  Iowa  and  Illinois. 


WATER  RESOURCES  OF  CALIFORNIA,  35 

additional  areas  having  inadequate  natural  moisture  have  since  been 
added  to  the  total  area  of  improved  farms  by  developing  accessory 
water  supplies,  but  the  abandonment  of  other  areas  previously  farmed 
has  compensated  in  their  summation  so  that  the  total  acreage  in  im- 
proved farms  has  remained  practically  unchanged  for  thirty-five  years. 

This  limit  to  the  area  in  improved  farms  was  reached  in  the  year 
1885,  Prior  to  this  year,  the  tilled  area  had  expanded  in  leaps  and 
bounds  from  the  great  impetus  to  farming  enterprises  that  followed 
the  world  wide  movement  to  this  state  after  the  discovery  of  gold  at  the 
midway  point  of  the  last  century.  This  enlargement  of  the  farmed 
area  continued  at  a  rapid  rate  for  a  third  of  a  century,  then  slacken- 
ing, it  ceased  about  1885, 

With  less  than  12,000,000  acres  cultivated,  all  of  the  state's  agricul- 
tural area  with  sufficient  natural  moisture  to  mature  a  profitable  crop 
had  been  brought  into  use.  Since  1885,  the  state  has  had  no  additional 
area  that  could  be  profitably  utilized  for  agriculture  in  its  natural  con- 
dition, so  that  in  response  to  the  continuing  favorable  market  for  agri- 
cultural products,  a  more  intensive  farming  of  the  land  already  under 
cultivation  has  been  in  progress.  All  through  these  thirty-five  years, 
the  demand  for  products  of  California's  agriculturists  has  never 
ceased  to  increase  at  an  accelerated  rate,  California,  favorably  sit- 
uated, its  fertile  agricultural  soils  producing  to  capacity  under  condi- 
tions of  dry  farming,  required  only  that  additional  water  be  applied 
to  these  lands  to  multipl.v  their  yield.  The  practical  farmer,  answer- 
ing to  the  ever-enlarging  market  for  his  products,  increased  the  yield 
of  many  acres  by  supplementing  the  soil's  natural  moisture  with  water 
applied  through  irrigation.  In  this  way  the  state  has  continued, 
through  the  last  thirty-five  years,  to  respond  to  the  constantly  increas- 
ing demand  for  its  farm  products,  and  in  this  way  the  potent  possibil- 
ities of  California's  farm  lands  are  being  invoked  to  a  yield  greater  in 
value  than  in  any  other  state  of  the  Union. 

The  utility  of  the  state's  waters  in  augmenting  the  yield  of  its  agri- 
cultural lands  and  the  demands  of  the  future,  may  best  be  ascertained 
through  an  investigation  of  the  use  of  water  in  the  past.  The  quan- 
tity of  accessory  water  needed  for  gro\^^ng  crops  to  an  harvestable 
maturity,  may  best  be  derived  from  the  results  of  experience  and  prac- 
tice. California's  lands,  .deficient  in  natural  moisture  during  the  grow- 
ing season  of  agricultural  plants,  have  received  varying  quantities  of 
water.  The  amounts  applied  on  the  sundry  tracts  in  the  divers  locali- 
ties, differ  widely  with  all  the  circumstances  and  conditions  affecting 
the  use  of  water.  The  application  to  different  fields  has  varied  greatly 
even  for  like  crops,  for  not  only  do  the  quantities  of  water  used  vary 
with  the  incentive  for  their  economic  application,  but  the  amounts  that 
are  dissipated  in  the  process  of  irrigation  change  greatly  with  contin- 
gent circumstances,  and  even  the  actual  quantity  necessary  for  absorp- 
tion by  the  root  systems  of  the  plants,  is  conditional. 

These  circumstances  and  conditions  neces.sitating  the  application  of 
more  or  less  accessory  water,  are  so  vast  in  number,  changing  with 
every  variation  in  soil,  crop,  and  preparation  for  spreading  water,  that 
on  small  tracts  of  land,  the  effect  of  one  may  predominate,  but  on 
greater  areas  they  tend  to  neutralize  in  effect.  For  this  reason  the 
average  use  of  water  on  very  large  areas  approaches  like  figures,  while 
the  use  on  small  tracts  within  these  large  areas,  may  take  wide  numer- 


36  WATER  RESOURCES  OF  CALIFORNIA. 

ical  departure  from  the  general  average.  The  larger  the  areas  com- 
pared, usually  the  closer  is  the  agreement  of  numerical  values  in  the 
records  of  use.  From  the  average  use  of  water  on  large  areas,  suffic- 
iently great  to  suppress  the  predominance  of  effects  peculiar  to  small 
parcels,  natural  divisions  of  the  state,  sixteen  in  number,  have  been 
evolved,  and  called  duty  of  water  sections.  These  sections  comprise 
within  their  boundaries,  lands  of  approximately  like  geographic  posi- 
tion, similar  surface  conformation,  of  analogous  economic  environment, 
aud  equal  climate,  and  so  form  convenient  segregations  for  the  dis- 
closure of  the  irrigation  requirements  of  California's  agricultural  lands. 

Delineated  on  Plate  III,  "Map  of  Agriculture  Areas  and  Duty  of 
Water  Sections,"  the  boundaries  of  these  sections  show  as  red  lines 
following  natural  dividing  conformations  of  the  land  surface.  The 
agricultural  lands  show  as  light  green  areas  within  the  delimiting  red 
lines.  Letters  within  circles,  interspersed  throughout  the  green  areas, 
indicate  the  location  of  individual  irrigation  systems  or  of  divers 
tracts  of  land  for  which  data  on  the  actual  use  of  water  or  on  proposed 
uses,  have  been  collected  by  these  investigations.  A  searching  inquiry 
of  the  use  of  water  has  been  made  and  water  measurements  have  been 
assembled  appljnng  to  an  area  that  equals  more  than  half  the  lands 
irrigated  in  the  entire  state  during  1919.  These  records  are  the  sum- 
mation of  the  labors  of  a  great  many  engineers  and  hydrographers 
that  cover  the  major  portion  of  the  last  two  decades.  These  extensive 
data  are  included  with  pertinent  material  in  Appendix  "B"  to  this 
report  and  the  letters  within  the  circles  on  the  map,  are  attached  to 
the  data  on  the  plates  and  in  the  tables  of  this  appendix,  so  that  the 
approximate  geographic  situation  of  the  lands  to  which  the  data  apply 
may  be  traced. 

That  the  water  requirements  for  each  of  the  several  sections  of  the 
state  might  be  derived  from  this  great  assemblage  of  information,  an 
examination  of  the  circumstances  and  a  close  scrutiny  of  the  condi- 
tions were  made,  surrounding  the  use  of  water  in  each  section.  All 
information  on  the  types  and  fertility  of  soils,  the  crops  grown,  the 
climate,  the  water  supply,  the  surface  conformation  of  the  land,  and 
all  other  subjects  related  to  irrigation  requirements,  was  reviewed 
and  compared  with  the  measured  and  proposed  uses  of  water.  Prac- 
tical working  quantities  required  of  accessory  water  supplies  in  each 
section,  were  so  evolved  and  recorded  in  "Table  2,  "Agricultural  Area 
and  Net  Duty  of  Water  in  the  Sixteen  Sections  of  California."  The 
total  area  of  agricultural  land  in  each  section  is  also  recorded  in  this 
table  and  numbers. are  given  to  each  section  that  show  their  location  on 
the  map,  Plate  III. 

These  practical  working  quantities  in  Table  2  that  set  forth  the 
general  water  needs  of  the  agricultural  areas  in  each  section,  are 
expressed  as  the  amount  of  water  required  on  a  unit  area  of  cropped 
land  and  are  named  the  "Duty  of  Water."  Originally  an  expression 
for  the  area  of  land  that  a  measure  of  water  would  irrigate  when 
flowing  continuously  through  the  irrigation  season,  custom  has  inverted 
the  first  meaning  and  more  conveniently  utilizes  the  term  "Duty  of 
Water"  to  name  the  quantity  of  irrigation  water  required  to  furnish 
throughout  one  season,  an  adequate  supplementary  supply  to  the  soil 
moisture  on  a  unit  area  of  land.  This  quantity  is  usually  expressed 
as  feet-depth  on  the  land,  meaning  the  depth  that  the  total  amount  of 
water  required  each  year  for  one  acre,  would  cover  its  surface  if  it 


WATER  RESOURCES  OF  CALIFORNIA. 


37 


TABLE   2.     AGRICULTURAL  AREAS  AND  NET  DUTY  OF 

WATER 

in   sixteen   sections   of   California,    shown   on  Plate   III 


Section 
number. 


1 

2 
3 
4 
5 
6 
7 
8 
9 

10 
11 
12 
13 
14 
15 
16 


Description  of  section. 


Los  Angeles  area,  Ventura  to  Redlands 

San  Diego  area.  Mexican  boundary  to  San  Jacinto  and  Yucaipa 

Imperial,  Coaohella  an4  Palo  Verde  valleys 

Antelope  Valley  and  Mojave  River  areas 

Inyo-Kern,  Owens  and  Mono  valleys 

Sierra  foothills  and  rolling  plains  east  and  south  of  San  Joaquin  Valley  floor 

San  Joaquin  Valley  floor 

Western  slope  of  southern  San  Joaquin  Valley 

Santa  Barbara,  Santa  Maria  and  San  Luis  Obispo  areas 

Salinas  and  contiguous  valleys 

Santa  Clara  and  adjacent  valley  areas 

Delta  lands  of  San  Joaquin  and  Sacramento  valleys 

Sacramento  Valley  floor 

Sierra  foothills,  and  rolling  plains  east  and  west  of  Sacramento  Valley  floor. 

North  coast  area 

Northeastern  mountain-valley  and  plateau  areas 

Total 


Agricultural 
area. 

Net  duty 
of  water. 

Acres. 

Feet  depth 
on  land. 

1,310,000 

1.75 

84.000 

1.25 

1,299,000 

3.00 

1,107,000 

2.00 

657,000 

2.50    ' 

1,800,000 

1.75 

5,468,000 

2.00 

971,000 

1.75 

410,000 

1.50 

296,000 

1.75 

530,000 

1.50 

453,000 

1.50 

2,694,000 

2.25 

2,305,000 

1.50 

624,000 

1.25 

1,598,000 

1.75 

22.506.000 

WATER  RESOURCES  OF  CALIFORNIA. 


37 


TABLE   2.     AGRICULTURAL  AREAS  AND  NET  DUTY  OF 

WATER 

in  sixteen  sections   of   California,    shown  on  Plate   III 


Section 
number. 


1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

11 

12 

13 

It 

15 

16 


Description  of  section. 


Los  Angeles  area,  Ventura  to  Redlands 

San  Diego  area.  Mexican  boundary  to  San  Jacinto  and  Yucaipa 

Imperial,  Coachella  an(j  Palo  Verde  valleys 

Antelope  Valley  and  Mojave  River  areas 

Inyo-Kern,  Owens  and  Mono  valleys 

Sierra  foothills  and  rolling  plains  east  and  south  of  San  Joaquin  Valley  floor 

San  Joaquin  Valley  floor 

Western  slope  of  southern  San  Joaquin  Valley 

Santa  Barbara,  Santa  Maria  and  San  Luis  Obispo  areas 

Salinas  and  contiguous  valleys 

Santa  Clara  and  adjacent  valley  areas 

Delta  lands  of  San  Joaquin  and  Sacramento  valleys 

Sacramento  Valley  floor 

Sierra  foothills,  and  rolling  plains  east  and  west  of  Sacramento  Valley  floor . 

North  coast  area 

Northeastern  mountain-valley  and  plateau  areas 

Total 


Agricultural 
area. 

Net  duty 
of  water. 

Acres. 

Feet  depth 
on  land. 

1,310,000 

1.75 

84.000 

1.25 

1,299,000 

3.00 

1,107,000 

2.00 

657,000 

2.50    ' 

1,800,000 

1.75 

5,468,000 

2.00 

971,000 

1.75 

410,000 

1.50 

296,000 

1.75 

530,000 

1.50 

453,000 

1,50 

2,694,000 

2.25 

2,305,000 

1.50 

624,000 

1.25 

1,598,000 

1.75 

22.506.000 

38  WATER  RESOURCES  OF  CALIFORNIA. 

were  all  accumulated  and  confined  above  that  acre.  Conventional 
use,  however,  has  resulted  in  dropping  the  unit  of  area,  the  acre; 
and  of  time,  the  year;  and  although  not  expressed,  these  are  now 
implicitly  contained  in  the  phrase  "Duty  of  Water." 

Qualifying  terms  are  in  common  use,  such  as  "Net"  and  "Gross." 
"Net  Duty"  is  the  quantity  of  water  measured  at  the  point  nearest 
to  its  entry  and  spreading  out  upon  the  cropped  land.  It  thus  con- 
tains the  water  required  for  plant  growth,  together  with  the  spreading 
or  application  losses  and  the  losses  contingent  to  storage  in  the  soils 
prior  to  absorption  by  the  roots  of  plants.'  The  "Gross  Duty"  is  this 
same  quantity  of  water  in  lake  or  flowing  stream,  reservoir  or  place  of 
storage,  together  with  the  conveyance  losses  and  waste  over  spillways 
incident  to  its  flow  through  canals  or  conduits  from  the  first  point  of 
diversion  at  its  natural  source,  to  its  point  of  entry  on  to  the  cropped 
soil.  "Net  Duty"  of  water  is  best  adapted  to  considerations  of  the 
requirements  of  accessory  water  supplies  and  in  comparing  the  needs 
of  different  localities.  "Gross  Duty"  is  a  subject  for  consideration 
in  canal  and  conduit  design  and  in  initial  diversion  quantities. 

The  application  of  waters  to  large  areas  in  the  quantities  tabu- 
lated at  "Net  Duty  of  Water"  in  Table  2,  provide  adequate  moisture 
for  their  intensive  cultivation ;  but  in  estimating  the  total  water 
requirements  in  any  locality,  portions  of  the  entire  area  will  not  need 
Avater.  Contingent  to  an  intensively  developing  agricultural  com- 
munity, the  rural  and  urban  dwellings,  routes  of  communication  and 
transportation,  industries,  and  improvements,  occupy  an  increasingly 
large  portion  of  the  total  area.  As  the  small  farm  holdings  become 
greater  in  number,  the  land  is  more  vigorously  cultivated  and  the 
production  per  acre  is  enhanced ;  the  farm  buildings  needed  for  this 
great  activity  occupy  a  larger  proportion  of  the  cultivatable  area.  The 
total  value  of  improvements,  the  wealth  created  and  the  income  derived 
from  agriculture  vastly  increases,  but  the  farmed  area  would  tend  to 
diminish  except  for  the  cultivation  of  new  areas  previously  unprofitable 
to  farm.  The  inclusion  of  new  areas  among  the  tilled  lands,  however,  is 
limited,  for  after  the  entire  area  is  l>rought  into  use,  no  additions  can 
be  made  without  destroying  improvements  which  themselves  are  essen- 
tial for  the  tilling  of  the  soil,  and  also,  there  are  always  some  lands 
naturally  unfit  for  cultivation,  such  as  rocky  and  alkali  spots,  high 
knolls  and  stream  beds.  These  will  never  be  irrigated.  Further,  in 
each  season  a  portion  of  the  total  area  will  remain  fallow,  other  por- 
tions Avill  be  planted  but  not  watered  and  irrigation  water  will  not  be 
required  for  either.  So,  in  closely  settled  irrigated  communities,  the 
sum  total  of  the  unirrigated  lands  may  be  a  considerable  part  of  the 
total  area.  The  studies  made  in  these  investigations,  indicate  that 
the  part  of  the  gross  area  ultimately  requiring  agricultural  water,  is 
from  sixty  to  ninety  per  cent  iii  the  various  sections  of  the  state. 

Of  all  the  waters  in  use  for  the  various  purposes  of  civilization,  that 
employed  in  agriculture  is  predominant.  In  the  year  1920,  with  three 
and  one-half  millions  of  people  in  California  and  one-quarter  of  its 
arable  lands  under  irrigation,  about  one-fourth  of  all  waters  that  can 
ultimately  be  made  available  through  storage  within  the  borders  of  the 
state,  were  in  use  for  domestic  and  industrial  supply,  irrigation,  power 
generation  and  mining.  The  domestic  and  industrial  use  was  about  four 
per  cent  of  the  total,  while  much  of  the  Avaters  used  for  generating 
electric  power  and  in  mining,  being  on  elevated  lands,  was  employed  a 
second  time  at  lower  levels  in  irrigating  the  state's  dry  soils. 


WATER  RESOURCES  OP  CALIFORNIA.  39 


CHAPTER  VI. 


COMPREHENSIVE    PLAN   FOR   ACHIEVING   THE    MAXIMinVE 
SERVICE  FROM  THE  WATERS  OF  THE  STATE. 

Plans  for  converting  the  waters  of  California  to  their  greatest  service 
in  this  generation  and  for  all  posterity,  must  give  precedence  among  the 
many  uses  for  water,  to  those  purposes  which  are  indispensable  to  man's 
continued  existence.  "Water  for  drinking  and  household  use  takes 
priority  over  that  for  growing  food-stuffs,  while  water  for  growing 
food-stuffs  is  primary  to  that  for  industrial  purposes.  "Were  there 
abundant  water  for  all  needs,  cognizance  of  its  relative  importance  in 
domestic,  agricultural  and  industrial  service,  could  be  disregarded.  In 
California,  however,  where  the  waters  in  the  streams  are  replenished  by 
rains  that  largely  occur  in  a  few  months  of  the  year,  and  seasons  of 
meager  or  bountiful  rainfall  succeed  each  other  in  all  variations  of 
sequence,  there  would  be  deficiencies  of  water  for  present  needs  during 
every  season,  were  it  not  for  impounding  M'orks  already  constructed. 
Only  through  the  construction  of  still  greater  and  more  elaborate  works 
to  equalize  the  erratic  stream  tlow  and  to  transport  waters  to  localities 
of  urgent  need,  can  California  continue  to  enhance  its  wealth  and 
increase  the  numbers  of  its  people  at  the  prevailing  rate  which  for  the 
past  decade  has  exceeded  that  of  all  other  states  of  the  Union  but  two.^^' 
The  combined  increase  of  population  in  these  two  states,  however,  was 
only  one-third  that  in  California. 

A  comprehensive  plan  must  primarily  insure  a  full  supply  of  water 
for  drinking  and  household  purposes.  But  since  the  present  needs  for 
domestic  and  industrial  water  supplies  are  only  a  twenty-fifth  the 
amount  required  for  irrigation  of  the  agricultural  lands  now  using 
water,  the  principle  constructive  features  of  a  plan  for  obtaining  maxi- 
mum use  of  the  state's  waters,  must  revolve  about  its  distribution  for 
the  greatly  preponderant  use  in  agriculture.  Further,  the  magnified 
urban  communities  of  the  future  must  largely  encroach  upon  lands 
now  classed  as  agricultural,  for  these  farm  areas  comprise  all  the  lands 
that  are  suitable  for  residence,  except  those  about  the  state's  seaports. 
Because  of  their  harbors,  commerce  and  strategic  locations,  the  seaports 
will  expand  over  adjacent  lands  now  excluded  from  the  agricultural 
areas  on  account  of  being  scatteringly  settled  fringes  to  population 
centers  or  on  account  of  being  too  rough  of  surface  or  steep  of  slope. 
But  metropolitan  areas  in  all  other  parts  of  the  state  will  undoubtedly 
arise  upon  the  flatter  lands  classed  in  this  report  as  agricultural.  As 
these  are  relinquished  for  city  development,  the  total  consumption  of 
water  in  any  district  for  both  domestic  and  irrigation  supplies  will  not 
increase  very  much,  since  cities  of  fairly  mature  growth  use  water  about 

"'U.  S.  Census — 1920.  Population  of  Arizona  increased  63.5  per  cent,  Montana  46 
per  cent,  while  California  increased  its  numbers  44  per  cent  during  the  preceding 
d'  cade. 


40  WATER  RESOURCES  OF  CALIFORNIA. 

equal  to  that  required  for  irrigating  crops  on  the  same  area.  Conse- 
quently any  comprehensive  plan  for  supplying  water  to  all  parts  of  the 
state  in  amounts  suited  to  its  future  needs  for  urhan  and  agricultural 
development,  will  have  accomplished  both  purposes  when  all  the  present 
lands,  classed  as  agricultural,  are  provided  with  an  adequate-  allotment 
of  water  to  irrigate  their  surface,  and  additional  allowances  are  made 
for  the  dense  urban  development  that  will  occur  about  the  state's 
seaports. 

Of  other  uses  for  water,  though  subservient  to  the  primary  demands 
of  the  household  and  for  growing  food-stuffs,  that  of  generating  hydro- 
electric power  to  light  and  heat  the  homes  in  rural  and  urban  communi- 
ties, to  operate  factories,  railroads  and  car  lines,  to  illuminate  the 
streets  of  cities  and  to"RTis.  as  well  as  to  pump  and  deliver  water  for  the 
domestic  and  agricultural  use,  undoubtedly  ranks  close  to  the  employ- 
ment for  agricultural  purposes.  It  is  through  these  agencies  that 
accessories  to  raising  food-stuffs  are  supplied,  that  farm  produces  are 
prepared  for  consumption,  and  the  necessities  and  conveniences  of 
civilization  are  conveyed  to  all  alike,  so  that  a  comprehensive  plan  to 
obtain  the  maximum  use  of  the  state's  waters  must  dispose  of  these 
waters  in  such  a  way  that  a  full  measure  of  hydro-electric  energy  may 
also  be  generated. 

The  agricultural  lands  of  the  state,  situated  on  the  lower  levels,  are 
favorably  located  to  receive  the  flowing  waters  of  the  streams  after  they 
have  exhausted  their  inherent  energy  in  tumbling  down  the  steep  moun- 
tain slopes.  Three-fifths  of  the  agricultural  area  of  the  state  is  less  than 
five  hundred  feet  in  elevation,  and  seven-eighths  of  it  is  less  than 
twenty-five  hundred  feet  in  elevation,  while  the  mountainous  water- 
producing  region  ascends  to  heights  as  great  as  ten  thousand  feet  above 
the  twenty-five  hundred  foot  level.  This  spacious  region,  a  steep  and 
rugged  country  that  spreads  over  half  the  state,  yields  practically  all  of 
California's  waters.  These  drain  into  the  stream  channels  and  flow 
past  the  bulk  of  the  lower-situated  agricultural  lands  in  their  descent 
toward  the  ocean.  Thus,  the  region  that  abounds  in  the  sheer  declivities 
and  swift  flowing  streams,  most  essential  for  the  generation  of  hydro- 
electric energy,  lies  above  seven-eighths  of  California's  agricultural 
lands  and  above  those  areas  that  will  be  mostly  occupied  by  urban 
development.  If  the  diversions  of  domestic  and  agricultural  waters 
from  the  streams  are  generally  confined  to  points  below  the  twenty -five 
hundred  foot  contour,  the  areas  most  favorable  for  power  development 
one-half  the  total  surface  of  the  state,  with  its  waters  nearly  all  of  the 
state's  suppl}^,  remain  intact  for  the  unimpaired  generation  of  electric 
energy  and  these  waters  may  then  be  re-used  on  the  lower  levels  for 
domestic,  agricultural  and  industrial  purposes.  Therefore  a  compre- 
hensive plan  to  serve  the  maximum  area  of  agricultural  land  with  irriga- 
tion water,  that  makes  its  diversions  of  water  below  the  twenty-five 
hundred  foot  elevation  and  that  provides  additional  waters  for  the 
growing  urban  communities  about  the  seaports  that  are  not  spreading 
over  agricultural  lands,  is  the  constructive  measure  that  will  enable 
the  greatest  use  to  be  made  of  California's  water  resources,  and  such  a 
plan  would  give  the  greatest  service  to  the  primary  needs  of  man  and 
provide  domestic  and  irrigation  waters  in  their  largest  amounts,  without 


WATER  RESOURCES  OF  CALIFORNIA.  41 

particularly  abridging  the  use  of  waters  for  the  industries  and  the 
generation  of  electric  power. 

While  the  entire  amount  of  California's  waters  for  an  average  year 
would  submerge  the  twenty-three  million  acres  of  tillable  land  in  this 
state  to  a  depth  of  three  and  a  quarter  feet  if  evenly  spread  over  and 
confined  above  them  and  the  necessary  application  to  the  soil  is  but 
two  feet  in  depth  annually  as  a  statewide  average,  still  the  disparity 
in  location  of  these  agricultural  lands  with  respect  to  the  sources  of 
abundant  water  supply,  presents  insurmountable  obstacles  to  the  utiliza- 
tion of  a  considerable  part  of  these  w^aters  on  the  lands  that  need  them 
most  urgently. 

In  northwestern  California  lies  the  area  most  productive  in  water 
of  all  regions  in  the  state,  the  North  Pacific  Coast  region.  From  the 
evergreen  slopes  of  its  timbered  mountains,  more  than  one-third  of 
all  the  state's  waters  drain  off  into  the  ocean,  passing  on  their  couree, 
only  two  per  cent  of  the  agricultural  lands  of  the  state.  This  immense 
volume  of  water,  enough  to  cover  the  arable  lands  of  the  entire  state 
to  an  average  depth  of  one  foot  ever}^  year,  joins  the  ocean  deep  without 
opportunity  of  infusing  harvest-maturing  moisture  into  those  portions 
of  California's  soils  that  are  too  dry  for  maximum  production  without 
accessory  supplies.  The  oceanward  slopes  of  the  Coast  Range  are 
separated  by  more  than  one  hundred  miles  from  the  nearest  large  body 
of  farming  land  that  is  deficient  in  local  waters.  In  attaining  heights 
in  an  unbroken  barrier  of  from  four  to  nine  thousand  feet,  the  Coast 
Range  IMountains  effectively  block  the  transportation  of  the  waters 
from  their  western  slopes  to  the  extensive  area  of  agricultural  lands 
lying  to  the  east  and  south.  Only  in  projects  of  great  magnitude  can 
portions  of  these  waters  be  captured  and  delivered  for  use  on  the  lands 
that  need  them. 

Diagonally  across  the  state  from  this  great  waterproducing  basin 
of  the  North  Pacific  Coast,  lies  a  region  in  the  southeastern  corner  of 
California,  one-fifth  the  entire  area  of  the  state,  mountainous  for  a 
large  part,  but  containing  at  least  four  million  acres  of  flat  lands  of 
which  the  geography  is  only  partly  recorded  because  of  the  extreme 
aridity  and  uninviting  aspect  of  its  parched  expanse.  Some  of  the  flat 
lands  that  skirt  the  edges  of  this  moistureless  solitude,  have  been 
fortunate  in  securing  waters  for  their  dry  soils.  These  have  responded 
to  irrigation,  and  their  great  fertility  has  brought  forth  bountiful 
harvests  to  repay  the  pioneer.  There  were  546,000  acres  of  this  region 
so  irrigated  in  1920.  However,  an  area  of  2,400,000  acres  of  the  flat 
lands  have  been  listed  as  agricultural,  for  water  may  ultimately  be 
obtained  for  considerable  areas  in  this  region.  Thus  in  one  comer  of 
California,  one-third  of  its  water  resources  are  dissipated  into  the 
ocean  with  but  small  possibility  of  use,  while  in  the  opposite  comer  of 
the  state,  over  six  hundred  miles  distant,  considerable  areas  of  poten- 
tially fertile  soils  await  the  import  of  plant-nurturing  waters  to  awaken 
their  powers  of  production. 

Intermediate  in  geographic  position  between  these  extreme  regions, 
lies  the  Great  Central  Valley  containing  three-fifths  of  all  the  agricul- 
tural lands  of  the  state.  The  northerly  part  of  this  area,  the  Sacra- 
mento Valley,  contains  five  and  one-half  million  acres  of  agricultural 
lands  and  enough  water  courses  through  the  streams  traversing  it,  to 


42  WATER  RESOURCES  OF  CALIFORNIA. 

submerge  these  lands  on  an  average  four  and  one-half  feet  in  annual 
depth ;  while  its  southerly  part,  the  San  Joaquin  Valley,  contains  eight 
and  one-quarter  million  acres  of  arable  land,  but  only  enough  water 
flows  in  its  stream  to  cover  them  a  foot  and  a  third  in  average  depth 
if  spread  evenly  over  them  each  year.  To  the  west  and  south  of  these 
lands  and  disposed  along  the  coast  from  San  Francisco  to  the  Mexican 
boundary,  is  the  South  Pacific  Coast  region,  which  contains  a  tillable 
area  of  over  three  million  acres,  but  its  streams  on  an  average,  yield 
only  water  enough  to  cover  these  lands  a  little  more  than  one  foot  in 
depth  annually.  Other  agricultural  lands,  about  a  half  million  acres  in 
the  San  Francisco  Bay  Region  and  four  and  one-half  million  acres 
easterly  from  the  Sierra  Nevada  and  the  mountain  range  extending 
southerly  from  Tehachapi  Pass,  have  water  in  adjacent  streams  that 
will  cover  them  annually  to  less  than  an  average  depth  of  one  and  a 
quarter  feet,  excepting  those  areas  that  can  receive  water  from  the 
Colorado  River.  Areas  that  are  irrigable  from  the  Colorado  River 
may  obtain  amounts  more  than  double  this.  To  evolve  tvorks  hy  which 
ivatcrs  may  he  transported  to  overcome  this  wieven  geographic  distribu- 
tion of  California's  ivaters,  so  that,  as  7iearly  as  possible,  all  these 
diversely  situated  bodies  of  agricultural  lands  may  be  served  with  their 
needed  ivaters  at  the  least  expense,  is  the  mai^i  problem  to  be  solved  in 
unfolding  the  comprehensive  plan. 

However,  other  most  important  coiLsiderations  intervene  in  pre- 
paring plans.  In  addition  to  the  seventy-three  milljon  acre-feet  of 
California's  waters  being  located  in  geographic  positions  adverse  for 
use  on  much  of  the  agricultural  lands,  these  waters  course  down  their 
stream  channels  in  capriciously  erratic  rates  of  flow  and  three-fourths 
of  them  reach  the  lower  levels  at  a  season  of  the  year  during  which 
they  are  of  little  use  for  irrigation,  because  the  same  storms  that  pre- 
cipitate the  run-off  on  the  mountain  collecting  areas,  usually  wet  the 
lower  agricultural  lands  as  well.  Thus  works  must  be  provided  to 
detain  large  volumes  of  flood  waters  on  their  catchment  areas  and  hold 
them  in  reserve  for  supplementing  the  diminishing  summer  flow  of  the 
streams  at  the  time  needed  for  irrigation.  In  holding  waters  in  storage 
for  later  use,  evaporation  is  continually  active  on  their  surfaces  and  the 
stored  vohunes  are  constantly  depleted  through  loss  to  the  atmosphere. 
It  is  revealed  by  these  investigations  that,  even  with  unlimited  storage 
capacity  available  on  every  stream,  not  more  than  eighty  per  cent  of 
the  state's  waters  can  be  brought  into  use  as  uniform  floAv;  that,  with 
maximum  equalization  of  stream  flow,  one-fifth  of  all  the  waters  would 
be  lost  by  evaporation  while  being  detained  in  reservoirs  until  the 
time  arrives  for  their  use.  Thus  the  four  great  basins  deficient  in 
waters  for  their  agricultural  lands,  the  San  Joaquin  Valley,  the  South 
Pacific  Coast  Basin,  and  the  regions  of  San  Francisco  Bay  and  of  the 
Great  Basin  drainage,  within  w^hose  confines  lie  two-thirds  of  all  the 
agricultural  lands  of  the  state,  would  have  their  already  inadequate 
waters,  if  developed  in  their  entirety,  reduced  one-fifth  in  volume  by 
losses  of  evaporation. 

To  further  complicate  the  problem,  the  waters  of  some  streams,  in 
their  flow  being  less  erratic,  can  be  more  easily  equalized  to  uniform 
discharge  than  in  others.  To  minimize  the  cost  of  the  works,  those 
streams  must  be  most  heavily  drawn  upon  for  water  that  require  the 
least  storage  capacity  to  equalize  their  flow  and  upon  whose  drainage 


WATER  RESOURCES  OF  CALIFORNIA.  43 

areas  cheap  reservoir  sites  may  l)e  found.  Tlie  capacities  of  storage 
re(iiiired  to  yield  the  maximuin  amount  of  uniform  flow  for  irrigation 
use  varies  widely  on  the  different  streams.  On  the  streams  of  least 
requirements,  the  maximum  development  may  be  obtained  with  a 
storage  capacity  whose  volume  is  less  than  the  annual  yield  of  uniform 
flow,  while  on  the  streams  of  greatest  requirements,  a  storage  capacity 
fifteen  times  as  large  as  the  annual  equalized  flow  is  necessary  to  obtain 
the  maximum  yield.  In  general,  the  greatest  storage  requirements  are 
on  streams  in  the  regions  of  least  water  production,  so  that  the  most 
effective  use  of  the  state's  Avaters  may  be  accomplished  only  through 
a  superlatively  scientific  plan. 

That  the  highest  attainments  of  science  could  be  introduced  in  the 
preparation  of  a  comprehensive  plan,  the  investigations  have  assembled 
masses  of  data  and  completed  intricate  analyses  concerning  the  location, 
the  quantities  and  the  variability  of  occurrence  of  the  waters  of  the 
state.  This  digest  of  information  has  been  all-inclusive,  and  is  pre- 
sented in  full  in  Appendix  "A"  to  this  report.  It  is  summarized  in 
Table  1,  "Water  Resources  of  California."  This  audit  of  California's 
waters  results  in  the  first  complete  inventory  of  the  waters  of  an  entire 
state  that  has  ever  been  assembled. 

In  addition,  data  on  twelve  hundred  and  seventy  reservoir  sites  have 
been  examined  and  preliminary  estimates  of  the  reservoir  capacity  and 
of  the  water  yield  were  made  on  nearly  eight  hundred  of  these.  The 
field  parties  of  the  department  made  reconnoissance  surveys  of  one 
hundred  and  seA^enty-six  reservoir  sites  and  searched  three  thousand 
five  hundred  miles  of  stream  bed  for  other  possible  locations.  Further, 
that  the  amounts  of  water  needed  for  irrigated  agriculture  might  be 
ascertained,  data  were  gathered  on  the  quantities  of  water  used  on  over 
two  million  acres  of  irrigated  lands  in  the  state,  or  more  than  half  the 
total  area  irrigated  in  1920.  These  records  of  water  use  extend  over 
an  average  of  four  years.  They  are  presented  in  Appendix  "B"  to 
this  report. 

An  analysis  of  all  this  data  discloses  that  four-fiftlis  of  all  the  agri- 
cultural lands  of  the  state  may  be  watered.  Additional  investigation 
would  probabh'  result  in  finding  means  of  irrigating  still  larger  areas, 
but  the  water  would  be  very  costly.  The  18,000,000  acres  which  it  is 
found  possible  to  water  is  an  expanse  greater  than  the  entire  area  in 
all  the  western  states  irrigated  in  1919.  and  three  times  as  large  as  the 
area  under  water  in  California  in  the  same  year. 

To  accomplish  the  irrigation  of  this  large  area  will  require  the  con- 
struction of  reservoirs  having  an  aggregate  capacity  of  50,000,000  acre 
feet,  and  many  miles  of  large  canals  to  transport  water  from  its  source 
to  the  regions  of  need  for  it.  Because  of  the  inclusion  of  the  maximum 
area  in  the  estimates  of  cost,  the  average  price  per  acre  for  accomplish- 
ing the  irrigation  of  the  18,000,000  acres  is  greater  than  most  projects 
that  are  now  under  construction,  but  additional  areas  to  those  watered 
at  the  present  time  can  only  be  irrigated  at  greater  costs,  for  they  are 
the  residual  lands  as  the  more  favorable  areas  for  constructive  enter- 
prises are  selected. 

Quoting  from  the  1919  report  to  the  Smithsonian  Institution  on  irri- 
gation in  the  western  states,  "The  great  bulk  of  the  land  west  of  the 
hundredth  meridian  which  is  not  too  high,  cold,  or  rocky  for  agricul- 
ture, is  arid.     Of  this  arid    portion,  over    15,000,000  acres  have  been 


44  WATER  RESOURCES  OF  CALIFORNIA. 

placed  under  irrigation  by  private  or  public  enterprise,  and  in  carry- 
ing out  this  work,  of  course,  the  most  favorable  opportunities  for  such 
irrigation  have  been  developed.  It  will  still  be  possible  to  add  many 
million  acres  to  the  irrigated  area  and  perhaps  to  double  the  area  now 
irrigated,  but  this  must  generally  be  done  at  a  high  cost,  as  the  cheap 
opportunities  have  been  long  since  exhausted.  There  are  remaining, 
however,  many  areas  which  can  be  irrigated  within  feasible  costs  aad 
will  develop  values  far  in  excess  of  the  necessary  expenditures."  These 
investigations  show  that  it  is  possible  to  complete  the  irrigation  of 
18,000,000  acres  in  California  alone.  This  would  add  12,000,000  acres 
to  the  area  under  water  in  the  western  United  States. 

In  preparing  a  general  plan  for  this  attainment,  the  complexly 
involved  rights  and  claims  to  I'iglits  for  the  use  of  water  in  this  state 
were  not  considered,  but  rather  a  i)lan  was  devised  which  comprehends 
the  state  as  a  virgin  territory  with  its  waters  and  soils  unsegregated 
in  private  ownership.  However,  inclusion  was  made  of  all  constructed 
works,  so  that  the  plan  does  not  coutain  proposals  for  discarding  monu- 
ments of  attainment  of  this  or  preceding  generations.  The  plan  would 
use  all  existant  reservoirs,  main  canals  and  distribution  ditches.  Waters 
from  new  sources  would  be  turned  into  the  systems  now  in  use  on  their 
arrival  in  that  locality. 

In  the  estimates  of  cost,  entries  were  included  for  expenditures  made 
in  building  all  existing  works  except  distribution  canals,  so  that  the 
total  cost  estimated  is  for  a  complete,  system  of  storage  works  and  main 
canals  giving  uniform  service  to  all  lands  irrespective  of  their  present 
stage  of  development.  It  was  found  to  be  impossible  in  a  general  layout 
to  separate  the  service  and  costs  between  areas  now  under  water  and 
those  yet  to  be  irrigated,  because  large  areas,  now  classed  as  irrigated 
lands,  have  supplies  that  are  deficient  during  the  latter  part  of  summer 
and  many  projects  are  short  of  water  during  the  entire  season  in 
years  of  subnormal  stream  flow.  To  make  this  segregation  would  require 
a  detail  design  of  the  plan  in  each  locality,  a  work  of  great  magnitude 
for  so  large  an  area  as  18,000,000  acras.  Therefore  the  cost  estimates 
here  given  are  the  average  cost  per  acre  to  develop  a  first-class  water 
supply  for  all  irrigable  lands,  whether  they  are  now  watered  or  not. 
They  include  all  costs  of  construction  and  of  rights  of  way,  for  storing 
waters  and  transporting  them  into  the  regions  of  use,  but  do  not  include 
the  cost  of  constructing  distributing  canals  or  of  operating  the  works, 
or  the  costs  of  acquiring  water-rights,  of  litigation  over  claims  to  water- 
rights,  or  of  damage  suits.  Neither  have  credit  allowances  for  power 
that  might  be  developed  at  or  in  the  vicinity  of  the  many  dams  for 
storing  water  been  deducted  in  the  cost  estimates. 

The  average  cost  of  storage  worlcs  necessary  to  develop  a  full  supply 
for  the  entire  18,000,000  acres,  through  all  seasons  without  shortage, 
is  twenty-five  dollars  per  acre-foot  of  water  developed,  while  the  cost 
to  the  laud  for  adequate  amounts  would  be  forty-five  dollars  per  acre. 
The  cost  of  canals  with  appurtenant  structures  to  transport  this  water 
to  the  regions  of  use  would  average  thirty-five  dollars  per  acre.  The 
total  average  cost  per  acre  to  deliver  a  first-class  supply  to  the  region 
of  use  is,  therefore,  eighty  dollars.  These  costs  vary  greatly  in  the 
different  localities. 


WATER  RESOURCES  OF  CALIFORNIA.  45 

To  effect  the  watering  of  so  large  an  area  at  these  costs,  it  is  neces- 
sary over  the  bulk  of  California's  lands  to  adopt  a  coordinated  scheme 
of  development  and  distribution  of  water,  that  comprise  very  large 
areas  in  interrelated  works.  To  store  the  waters  at  the  cheapest  loca- 
tions of  abundant  supply  and  transport  them  long  distances  to  the 
localities  of  use  requires  inter-service  works  of  great  dimensions.  Areas 
greater  than  are  now  under  irrigation  may  be  watered  without  coordi- 
nated development  and  distribution,  but  a  limit  is  being  approached 
whereby  united  endeavors  almost  statewide  in  extent  will  be  necessary 
to  secure  greater  service  from  the  state's  waters  at  reasonable  costs. 

The  plan  herein  set  forth  requires  complete  coordination  of  the  dis- 
tribution of  water  over  large  areas,  as  well  as  in  the  construction  of  the 
works.  This  is  necessary  in  order  to  utilize  the  inexpensive  storage 
sites  to  the  greatest  advantage.  Dam  sites  of  low  cost  often  have  lim- 
ited catchment  areas  draining  into  their  reservoirs  that  do  not  yield 
enough  water  to  warrant  the  construction  of  high  dams  when  the 
draft  on  them  is  uniform.  But  under  the  coordinated  scheme  of  oper- 
ation of  the  comprehensive  plan,  these  dams  may  be  erected  to  their 
full  height  and  the  cheap  storage  capacity  thus  created,  utilized  to  the 
same  advantages  as  the  capacities  behind  other  more  expensive  dams. 

To  secure  this  advantage  requires  that  the  draft  on  all  reservoirs  be 
pooled  so  that  in  apportioning  the  total  draft  between  the  reservoirs 
in  each  season,  the  largest  amounts  may  be  taken  from  the  reservoirs 
that  are  filling  the  quickest.  In  this  way,  the  draft  may  be  appor- 
tioned to  small  reservoirs  situated  on  large  drainage  areas  so  as  to 
empty  them  more  than  once  a  season  and  thus  use  excess  water  that 
otherwise  would  flow  over  their  spillways;  similarly,  reservoirs  with 
watersheds  of  small  yield  may  be  left  to  fill  with  accumulating  waters 
during  the  seasons  of  plenteous  run-off  and  ma}'  be  drawn  on  only  dur- 
ing the  drier  seasons. 

In  so  apportioning  the  draft,  exactly  the  same  results  are  attained 
in  irrigating  the  land  as  by  the  customs  in  present  use  whereby  the 
waters  from  each  reservoir  become  attached  to  a  particular  tract  of  land 
and  the  reservoir  is  drawn  on  regularly  each  year  at  its  maximum  rate 
of  yield.  Under  this  prevailing  system  of  individual  reservoir-draft  it 
would  be  useless  to  build  dams  to  greater  heights  than  is  required  to 
equalize  the  flow  of  their  tributary  drainage  area  for  a  uniform  draft, 
because  no  greater  yield  would  be  obtained  with  the  higher  dams. 
But  when  their  waters  are  utilized  for  over  year  storage  only,  for  hold- 
ing over  the  surplus  of  wet  seasons  to  dispense  it  for  use  in  the  dry 
ones  that  may  come  several  years  later,  these  cheap  reservoirs  answer 
just  as  well  as  the  more  expensive  ones  with  larger  drainage  areas.  In 
either  case  the  same  amount  of  water  must  be  held  in  storage  some- 
where for  the  same  length  of  time,  but  a  great  advantage  in  cost  is 
gained  over  the  customary  system  of  individual  reservoir-draft,  by 
the  selection  of  the  cheapest  sites  for  storing  this  water  under  the  sys- 
tem of  pooled  draft.  The  scheme  of  pooled  draft  of  the  comprehensive 
plan,  allots  the  total  draft  to  the  various  reservoirs  so  that  the  greatest 
efficiency  is  attained  in  operating  the  works.  To  obtain  equal  yield 
to  that  of  the  customary  system  of  individual  draft  on  reservoirs,  the 
coordinated  scheme  of  pooling  the  draft  contained  in  the  comprehensive 
plan,  would  result  in  an  average  construction  cost  of  storage  works  only 
slight!}'  more  than  half  that  of  the  individual  reservoir-draft  system. 


46  WATER  RESOURCES  OF  CALIFORNIA. 

The  preliminary  comprehensive  plan  outlined  in  this  report  will 
accomplish  the  irrigation  of  the  maximum  area  of  the  state's  agricul- 
tural lands  at  the  least  cost,  as  well  as  provide  waters  for  the  primary 
use  of  domestic  supply  and  leave  the  great  mountainous  area  above  the 
twenty-five  hundred  foot  contour  free  for  the  generation  of  hydro-elec- 
tric energy,  except  for  the  irrigation  of  the  beautiful  mountain  valleys, 
that  dot  these  regions  and  the  table  lands  in  northeastern  California. 
Their  total  area,  however,  is  only  one-eighth  of  all  the  tillable  soil.  On 
the  other  hand,  much  power  can  be  generated  below  the  twent^'-five 
hundred  foot  level  and  above  the  irrigation  diversions,  especially  at  the 
high  dams  of  many  of  the  storage  reservoirs.  This  plan,  then,  outlines 
a  scheme  that  will  obtain  the  maximum  service  from  the  waters  of  the 
state  and  provide  for  all  users  in  order  of  their  importance  to  man's 
continued  existence. 

In  this  plan  the  source  of  supply  has  been  selected  as  close  to  the 
needy  land  as  possible,  the  least  expensive  storage  sites  have  been 
selected,  and  the  canals  have  been  routed  over  the  least  obstructed  paths 
and  a  scherae  of  coordinated  use  of  reservoirs  has  been  included  that 
makes  it  possible  to  attain  the  most  efficient  service  in  their  operation. 
The  main  features  of  the  plan  are  delineated  on  the  map  of  California 
Plate  IV,  "Preliminary  Comprehensive  Plan  for  Maximum  Develop- 
ment of  California's  Water  Resources." 

Because  of  the  physical  limits  which  the  mountain  ranges  and  great 
distances  in  California  place  on  the  transportation  of  water,  bounds 
are  placed  on  the  areas  that  naturally  group  together  to  their  mutual 
advantage  quite  like  the  bounds  of  the  great  drainage  basins  of  the 
state.     The  plan  will  therefore  be  described  by  ma.jor  drainage  groups. 

SAN    FRANCISCO   BAY  DRAINAGE. 

Half  the  waters  of  the  state  in  their  natural  course  drain  into  San 
Francisco  Bay.  From  the  Pit  River,  which  rises  in  the  extreme  north- 
east corner  of  the  state,  to  the  Kern,  three-fourths  the  length  of  the 
state  towards  its  southern  extremity,  these  waters  gather  into  the  Sacra- 
mento and  San  Joaquin  rivers  to  join  with  smaller  streams  that  empty 
directly  into  San  Francisco  Bay,  in  issuing  through  the  Golden  Gate 
into  the  Pacific  Ocean.  Within  these  drainage  basins  are  14,800,000 
acres  of  lands  suitable  for  agriculture.  The  comprehensive  plan  pro- 
vides for  irrigating  all  but  two  and  one-half  per  cent  of  this  entire  area. 
Only  4,260,000  acres  are  now  irrigated  in  these  regions. 

Ninety-five  per  cent  of  the  14,800.000  arable  acres  in  these  basins  lies 
in  one  large  continuous  body  of  land  on  the  floor  and  skirting  the  edges 
of  the  Great  Central  Valley.  Sloping  from  elevations  of  five  hundred 
feet  above  sea-level  at  the  extreme  northerly  and  southerly  ends,  these 
lands  are  barely  higher  than  the  sea  in  the  central  parts.  With  an 
extreme  length  of  five  hundred  miles,  the  economic  conveyance  of  the 
surplus  waters  of  the  north  half  of  this  valley  to  the  southerly  areas 
that  are  lacking  in  water,  demands  that  the  plan  be  adapted  to  the  nat- 
ural topographic  and  hydrographic  features  of  the  area. 

Since  seven-eighths  of  all  the  waters  of  these  regions  drain  off  the 
Sierra  Nevada  Mountains,  there  is  ample  for  spreading  on  the  easterly 
side  of  the  valley.  In  the  Sacramento  Valley,  the  east  side  lands  would 
be  served  almost  entirely  by  gravity  diversions  from  adjacent  streams 


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WATER  RESOURCES  OF  CALIFORNIA.  -47 

and  the  main  canals  would  be  short,  but  southerly  from  the  American 
River,  a  series  of  five  long  canals  would  be  necessary  in  order  to  com- 
pletely irrigate  the  areas  eastward  from  the  valley  trough.  These 
canals  generally  would  be  on  the  valley  floor  and  serve  to  transfer 
Avaters  southerly  as  they  cross  the  distributing  canals  now  in  use.  Byni 
this  means  all  of  the  east  side  of  the  San  Joaquin  Valley  may  be  servedj 
by  gravit3^ 

The  westerly  side  of  the  Great  Central  Valley  is  deficient  in  local 
waters,  particularly  in  the  San  Joaquin  where  their  average  annual 
amount  is  only  250,000  acre-feet.  Their  full  amount,  however,  would 
be  distributed  by  gravity  to  the  higher  lands  on  the  edge  of  the  valley 
floor.  In  the  Sacramento  A'alley,  three  canals,  each  some  sixty  miles  in 
length,  would  divert  from  the  main  channel  of  the  Sacramento  River 
and  spread  water  to  the  south  and  west,  but  a  very  considerable  area 
would  be  served  by  pumping  diversions  with  comparatively  short  main 
canals  leading  to  adjacent  lands.  jMany  of  these  are  already  con- 
structed. Some  areas  to  the  w^est  of  the  gravity  canals  would  also  be 
served  by  pumping  from  these  mains.  The  pumping  lifts  would  gen- 
erally be  less  than  fifty  feet. 

The  west  side  of  the  San  Joaquin  Valley  would  be  served  by  one 
grand  canal  two  hundred  miles  long.  This  would  follow  the  flat  lands 
of  smooth  surface  and  have  nine  pumping  plants  at  intervals  along 
its  course  to  raise  the  water  against  the  natural  grade  of  the  valley 
floor.  The  greatest  lift  of  the  water  flowing  in  this  canal  to  its  extreme 
southern  end,  would  be  400  feet.  There  would  be  650,000  acres  served 
out  of  the  grand  canal  by  gravity,  but  the  other  1,380,000  acres  that 
could  take  their  supply  from  this  canal,  require  that  the  water  be  lifted 
by  pumping  for  distribution  over  the  land  surface.  The  total  pump- 
ing lift  would  be  high  for  most  of  these  lands.  About  600,000  acres 
only  would  have  a  total  pumping  lift  of  less  than  three  hundred  feet, 
1,100,000  acres  between  three  and  six  hundred  feet,  and  350,000  acres 
a  lift  of  more  than  six  hundred  feet  if  they  are  to  be  watered. 

As  great  as  these  pumping  lifts  would  be,  this  plan  of  distributing 
the  water  is  much  less  costly  than  one  of  gravity  conveyance.  To 
import  water  to  this  area  by  gravity,  would  require  a  canal  of  large 
dimensions,  tortuously  following  a  grade  contour  on  steep  mountain 
hillsides  and  winding  in  and  out  around  every  rocky  spur  and  into  each 
receding  ravine.  The  total  length  attained  in  its  devious  route  would 
double  or  treble  the  air  line  distance  of  five  hundred  miles  between  the 
source  of  supply  in  the  Sacramento  River  and  the  extreme  southerly 
lands  to  be  watered.  The  cost  of  constructing  crossings  for  a  gravity 
canal  at  the  innumerable  drainage  channels  that  it  would  intercept, 
alone  would  probabl,y  exceed  the  total  cost  of  all  the  works  of  the  com- 
prehensive plan. 

In  the  comprehensive  plan,  the  excess  waters  of  the  Sacramento 
drainage  basin  would  be  collected  in  the  main  river  channels  and,  by 
means  of  a  dam  across  Carquinez  Straits  below  the  mouth  of  both 
the  Sacramento  and  San  Joaquin  rivers,  this  water  would  be  diverted 
into  the  lower  San  Joaquin  River  from  which  the  grand  canal  would 
take  its  water.  Thus  the  cost  of  conduit  would  be  obviated  for  the  full 
length  of  the  Sacramento  Valley.  The  grand  canal  would  follow  the 
smooth  valley  floor  and  its  excavation  would  be  the  cheapest  type  of 


WATER  RESOURCES  OF  CALIFORNIA.  -47 

and  the  main  canals  would  be  short,  but  southerly  from  the  American 
River,  a  series  of  five  long  canals  would  be  necessary  in  order  to  com- 
pletely irrigate  the  areas  eastward  from  the  valley  trough.  These 
canals  generally  would  be  on  the  valley  floor  and  serve  to  transfer 
waters  southerly  as  the}"  cross  the  distributing  canals  now  in  use.  By]! 
this  means  all  of  the  east  side  of  the  San  Joaquin  Valley  may  be  servedj 
by  gravity. 

The  westerly  side  of  the  Great  Central  Valley  is  deficient  in  local 
waters,  particularly  in  the  San  Joaquin  where  their  average  annual 
amount  is  only  250,000  acre-feet.  Their  full  amount,  however,  would 
be  distributed  by  gravity  to  the  higher  lands  on  the  edge  of  the  valley 
floor.  In  the  Sacramento  Valley,  three  canals,  each  some  sixty  miles  in 
length,  would  divert  from  the  main  channel  of  the  Sacramento  River 
and  spread  water  to  the  south  and  west,  but  a  very  considerable  area 
would  be  served  by  pumping  diversions  with  comparatively  short  main 
canals  leading  to  adjacent  lands.  Many  of  these  are  already  con- 
structed. Some  areas  to  the  west  of  the  gravity  canals  would  also  be 
served  by  pumping  from  these  mains.  The  pumping  lifts  would  gen- 
erally be  less  than  fifty  feet. 

The  west  side  of  the  San  Joaquin  Valley  would  be  served  by  one 
grand  canal  two  hundred  miles  long.  This  would  follow  the  flat  lands 
of  smooth  surface  and  have  nine  pumping  plants  at  intervals  along 
its  course  to  raise  the  water  against  the  natural  grade  of  the  valley 
floor.  The  greatest  lift  of  the  water  flowing  in  this  canal  to  its  extreme 
southern  end,  would  be  400  feet.  There  would  be  650,000  acres  served 
out  of  the  grand  canal  by  gravity,  but  the  other  1,380,000  acres  that 
could  take  their  supply  from  this  canal,  require  that  the  water  be  lifted 
by  pumping  for  distribution  over  the  land  surface.  The  total  pump- 
ing lift  would  be  high  for  most  of  these  lands.  About  600,000  acres 
only  would  have  a  total  pumping  lift  of  less  than  three  hundred  feet, 
1,100,000  acres  between  three  and  six  hundred  feet,  and  350,000  acres 
a  lift  of  more  than  six  hundred  feet  if  they  are  to  be  watered. 

As  great  as  these  pumping  lifts  would  be,  this  plan  of  distributing 
the  water  is  much  less  costly  than  one  of  gravity  conveyance.  To 
•'  import  water  to  this  area  by  gravity,  would  recjuire  a  canal  of  large 
dimensions,  tortuously  following  a  grade  contour  on  steep  mountain 
hillsides  and  winding  in  and  out  around  every  rocky  spur  and  into  each 
receding  ravine.  The  total  length  attained  in  its  devious  route  would 
double  or  treble  the  air  line  distance  of  five  hundred  miles  between  the 
source  of  supply  in  the  Sacramento  River  and  the  extreme  southerly 
lands  to  be  watered.  The  cost  of  constructing  crossings  for  a  gravity 
canal  at  the  innumerable  drainage  channels  that  it  would  intercept, 
alone  would  probabl}'  exceed  the  total  cost  of  all  the  works  of  the  com- 
prehensive plan. 

In  the  comprehensive  plan,  the  excess  waters  of  the  Sacramento 
drainage  basin  would  be  collected  in  the  main  river  channels  and,  by 
means  of  a  dam  across  Carquinez  Straits  below  the  mouth  of  both 
the  Sacramento  and  San  Joaquin  rivers,  this  water  would  be  diverted 
into  the  lower  San  Joaquin  River  from  which  the  grand  canal  would 
take  its  water.  Thus  the  cost  of  conduit  would  be  obviated  for  the  full 
length  of  the  Sacramento  Valley.  The  grand  canal  would  follow  the 
smooth  vallej'  floor  and  its  excavation  would  be  the  cheapest  type  of 


48  WATER  RESOURCES  OF  CALIFORNIA. 

earth  work.  It  is  so  designed  that  by  utilizing  the  storage  capacity  of 
Tulare  Lake,  the  pumping  plants  along  its  course  may  operate  eleven 
months  in  the  year,  resulting  in  a  considerable  reduction  in  size  of 
canal  and  of  pumps.  The  waters  pumped  during  the  winter  months 
would  be  stored  in  Tulare  Lake  for  use  the  following  summer.  No 
flood  menace  would  be  involved  in  filling  the  Lake  during  the  winter 
with  the  comprehensive  plan  in  operation,  for  the  complete  develop- 
ment of  both  the  Kings  and  Kern  rivers  would  absorb  in  their  reser- 
voirs, the  flood  flows  that  occasionally  fill  this  lake. 

In  general,  there  is  opportunity  to  generate  ample  electricity  for 
the  pumping  required  in  the  comprehensive  plan,  at  the  dams  of 
storage  reservoirs  distant  less  than  one  hundred  miles  from  the  pump- 
ing stations.  The  total  cost  of  these  generating  works  would  be  very 
much  less  than  the  difference  in  cost  between  the  canals  and  pumping 
plants  of  the  comprehensive  plan,  and  any  gravity  system  that  might 
be  devised. 

The  dam  across  Carquinez  Straits  would  have  many  other  advantages 
in  addition  to  diverting  the  Sacramento  waters  into  the  lower  San 
Joaquin  River.  During  seasons  of  small  stream  flow,  there  is  a  ten- 
dency for  the  salt  water  of  San  Francisco  Bay  to  work  up  into  the 
network  of  channels  that  divide  the  rich  delta  lands  at  the  mouth  of  the 
two  rivers,  into  many  islands.  The  dam  below  the  mouth  of  these  two 
rivers  would  prevent  any  damage  to  these  fertile  soils  that  might  result 
from  such  occurences.  Further,  this  dam  would  maintain  Suisun  Bay 
in  fresh  water  and  make  it  possible  to  profitably  reclaim  all  the  tidal 
flats  along  its  margin,  and  bring  unlimited  quantities  of  fresh  water  to 
the  manufacturing  centers  arising  along  the  bay  shore  from  Benicia 
and  Port  Costa  easterly  to  Antioch.  It  would  provide  a  low  level 
crossing  for  railroads  and  highways  whose  traffic  now  crosses  Carquinez 
Straits  on  ferries.  By  constructing  locks  of  adequate  dimensions,  this 
barrier  would  offer  no  obstruction  to  navigation.  It  can  be  designed 
to  afford  ample  water  way  for  floods  of  the  Sacramento  and  San  Joa- 
quin rivers  so  that  flood  heights  on  the  lower  river  will  not  be  increased 
over  those  of  the  past. 

The  practicability  of  locating  and  constructing  such  a  dam  below 
the  mouth  of  the  Sacramento  and  San  Joaquin  rivers,  has  been  investi- 
gated as  far  as  could  be  without  exploration  borings  at  the  various 
possible  sites  for  its  location.  It  was  concluded  that  a  dam  in  this 
vicinity  is  feasible  but  that  extended  studies  of  all  possible  sites  should 
be  pursued  before  a  selection  is  made. 

This  dam  would  be  of  added  value  in  creating  a  large  fresh  water 
reservoir  in  Suisun  Bay  and  the  delta  regions  that  would  have  a  stor- 
age capacity  of  500,000  acre  feet  between  the  present  levels  of  high  and 
low  tide.  Supplies  of  fresh  water  might  be  pumped  from  here  for 
consumption,  after  filtration,  in  the  metropolitan  areas  of  San  Fran- 
cisco Bay,  as  well  as  for  agricultural  use  to  supplement  the  local  sup- 
plies of  the  bay  region.  Thus  water  might  be  brought  close  into  the 
bay  region  without  cost  of  conduit  from  the  distant  sources.  These 
investigations  show  that  waters  of  the  Trinity  River  and  the  three 
forks  of  the  Eel  River  in  the  North  Pacific  Coast  region,  might  be 
diverted  into  the  Sacramento  River  drainage  through  tunnels  under 
the  Coast  Range  Mountains,  not  prohibitive  in  expense  if  their  waters 


WATER  RESOURCES  OF  CALIFORNIA.  49 

are  developed  in  large  quantities.  With  these  diversions  effected, 
there  would  be  plenty  of  water,  in  the  Great  Central  A^alley  drainage 
area,  to  supply  all  its  future  needs  as  well  as  the  requirements  for  all 
purposes  about  the  San  Francisco  Bay  region. 

The  diversion  for  agricultural  use  from  Suisun  Bay  would  be  by  a 
canal  leading  southward  through  Tgnacio  Valley.  The  water  would 
be  elevated  in  successive  lifts  into  the  Livermore  Valley.  A  pumping 
head  of  slightly  more  than  four  hundred  feet  would  be  necessary  to 
lift  the  water  into  Livermore  Valley  and  additional  pumping  would 
be  required  to  distribute  the  water  over  all  of  its  arable  lands.  A 
tunnel  through  the  hills  separating  Livermore  Valley  from  San  Fran- 
cisco Bay  would  take  this  water  into  the  Santa  Clara  Valley  at  an  eleva- 
tion sufficiently  high  to  permit  gravity  distribution  to  practically  all 
lands  of  this  valley  not  irrigable  from  the  waters  of  local  streams. 

The  agricultural  areas  of  the  bay  region  to  the  north,  would  be 
irrigated  from  diversions  from  the  Eel  and  Russian  rivers.  "Water 
would  be  carried  in  a  gravity  canal  almost  one  hundred  miles  in 
length  into  the  Sonoma  and  Napa  valleys  to  supplement  their  local 
supplies. 

Several  hundred  thousand  acres  of  agricultural  lands  within  the 
Sacramento  drainage  area,  are  isolated  from  the  main  body  of  its 
lands  by  the  Sierra  Nevada  Mountains.  The  Pit  River,  in  the  north- 
eastern corner  of  the  state,  drains  part  of  a  great  plateau  region  to  the 
east  of  the  Sierra  Nevadas  on  the  edge  of  the  Great  Basin  of  North 
America,  and  cuts  through  these  mountains  for  a  distance  of  sixty 
miles  in  a  deep  rock  gorge  to  .ioin  the  waters  of  the  Sacramento  River 
before  they  emerge  into  the  Great  Central  Valley.  The  agricultural 
areas  of  the  Pit  River  lie  in  several  parcels  along  its  upper  reaches 
and  vary  in  elevation  from  3000  to  5000  feet  above  sea-level.  The 
comprehensive  plan  provides  for  irrigating  263,300  acres  of  these 
areas  by  gravity  diversions  from  the  Pit  River  or  its  tributaries. 
Seventeen  reser%'oirs  of  varying  capacity  will  be  required  to  equalize 
the  stream  flow  for  these  diversions. 

PACIFIC    COAST    DRAINAGE    BASINS— SAN    FRANCISCO   TO    SANTA 

BARBARA   CHANNEL. 

Comprised  within  five  larger  valleys  and  several  smaller  ones,  890,000 
acres  of  tillable  lands  lie  along  the  Pacific  Coast  between  San  Francisco 
Bay  and  Santa  Barbara  Channel.  Of  these  135,000  acres  are  under 
irrigation  at  the  present  time.  The  water  supply  in  the  streams  tra- 
versing these  valleys  is  enough  to  cover  their  agricultural  lands  to  a 
depth  of  two  feet  in  an  averace  year,  but  the  flow  is  so  flashy  that  with 
unlimited  storage,  only  two-thirds  of  their  waters  could  be  suitably 
equalized  for  irrigation  use.  Nevertheless,  three-fifths  of  the  total  area 
can  be  irrigated  under  the  comprehensive  plan.  In  this  plan  the  waters 
would  be  diverted  from  the  streams  in  each  valley  and  carried  to  the 
lands  in  gravity  canals.  The  costly  tunnels  through  the  mountainous 
regions  separating  these  valleys  largely  prohibit  the  importation  of  any 
small  surplus  waters  that  may  occur  in  adjacent  regions,  so  that  the 
agricultural  lands  of  each  valley  would  be  largely  irrigated  by  inde- 
pendent systems. 


50  WATER  RESOURCES  OP  CALIFORNIA. 

PACIFIC   COAST    DRAINAGE    BASINS— SANTA    BARBARA   CHANNEL   TO 

MEXICAN    BORDER. 

Southward  from  Santa  Barbara  Channel  skirting  the  coast  and  on 
the  Pacific  slope  of  the  Southern  California  mountains,  lie  2,300,000 
acres  of  fertile  soils.  These  lie  in  the  valleys  of  streams  draining  into 
the  Pacific  Ocean  that  are  less  separated  by  mountains  than  the  valleys 
northward  from  the  Santa  Barbara  Channel  and  form  an  almost  con- 
tinuous body  of  agricultural  land.  Although  several  large  streams 
traverse  portions  of  this  area,  the  total  waters  are  hardly  sufficient  to 
cover  the  arable  lands  to  half  a  foot  in  depth  in  the  average  year.  Their 
flow  is  erratic  and  would  require  much  storage  capacity  for  their  com- 
plete development  for  irrigation  use.  Reservoir  sites  are  few  in  number 
and  dams  expensive.  However,  it  is  found  that  the  water  supply  can 
be  perfected  on  a  large  part  of  the  759,000  acres  now  irrigated  and 
perhaps  250,000  additional  acres  be  brought  under  water. 

Under  the  comprehensive  plan,  surface  reservoirs  would  be  con- 
structed and  largely  used  for  the  temporary  detention  of  the  waters  in 
the  streams  that  they  might  be  released  in  a  more  or  less  uniform  flow 
for  spreading  over  gravel  beds.  Excepting  in  the  southern  areas  of  this 
region,  there  are  coarse  alluvial  fills  that  have  a  large  water-holding 
capacity  and  easily  yield  their  contained  waters  to  wells  sunk  into  their 
depths.  Waters  spread  on  the  gravel  beds  of  these  valley  fills  would  be 
absorbed  to  join  the  subterranean  waters  of  these  basins.  Severed  from 
contact  wdth  the  atmosphere,  these  waters  would  be  held  in  storage  in 
the  porous  substrata  without  loss  by  evaporation  and  would  be  available 
as  needed  through  pumping  from  wells.  By  combining  surface  and 
underground  storage  in  a  coordinated  plan,  the  maximum  service  will 
be  attained  from  these  waters,  even  a  greater  service  than  could  be 
obtained  from  storage  in  surface  reservoirs,  for  with  complete  develop- 
ment by  surface  storage,  about  one-third  of  all  the  water  would  be  lost 
by  evaporation.  Without  some  surface  storage,  however,  to  partially 
equalize  the  flow,  large  volumes  of  flood  water  would  rush  off  into  the 
ocean  too  quickly  for  absorption  by  the  gravels  in  the  stream  beds  or 
diversion  to  artificial  spreading  grounds.  The  artificial  spreading  of 
water  is  being  practiced  with  success  in  some  of  the  basins  by  diverting 
the  clear  waters  that  follow  the  first  turbid  flood  flows.  These  spreading 
operations  can  be  much  extended  by  the  use  of  surface  storage  works  to 
partially  equalize  the  flood  flows  and  the  employment  of  additional 
spreading  areas. 

These  investigations  have  mapped  the  location  of  the  absorptive 
basins  in  this  territory  and  collected  much  data  on  the  surface  and 
underground  waters. ^^'  Considerable  amounts  of  water  spread  on  the 
surface  of  these  basins  in  irrigation,  are  known  to  sink  to  join  the 
ground  waters  and  increase  the  available  supply  for  other  areas.  The 
total  quantity  of  water  in  this  region  is  so  limited,  however,  that  there 
cannot  be  any  great  increase  in  the  areas  watered  unless  means  are 
discovered  of  maturing  crops  with  smaller  applications  of  water  than 
are  now  customary.  It  is  possible  as  water  increases  in  value,  that  much 
may  be  accomplished  in  reducing  losses  by  evaporation  while  applying 
the  waters  to  the  soils  but  at  greater  expense  than  is  justifiable  at  the 
present  time. 

"'See  Appendix  "C"  to  this  report,  Bulletin  No.  7,  State  Department  of  Public 
Works,  for  maps  of  absorptive  areas  and  underground  water  contours. 


WATER  RESOURCES  OF  CALIFORNIA.  51 

GREAT    BASIN    DRAIN  AGE— SOUTH    OF    LAKE   TAHOE. 

More  than  3,000,000  acres  of  excellent  agricultural  lands  lie  in  the 
south  half  of  the  state  eastward  from  the  Sierra  Nevada  Mountains  and 
the  range  extending  southerly  from  Tehachapi  Pass.  These  are  situated 
in  several  parcels  varying  in  elevation  from  below  sea-level  to  5000  feet 
or  more  above.  The  local  waters  are  small  in  amount,  for  of  all  the 
waters  collected  by  the  mountains  that  separate  these  areas  from  the 
rest  of  the  state,  only  ten  per  cent  run  off  their  easterly  slopes.  But  a 
small  part  of  the  entire  area  could  be  irrigated  if  it  were  not  for  the 
Colorado  River  bringing  waters  from  drainage  areas  outside  the  state  to 
within  reach  of  939,000  acres  of  these  lands  in  the  extreme  southeastern 
corner  of  the  state.  There  are  now  500,000  acres  irrigated  from  the 
natural  flow  of  the  Colorado  River  in  this  region,  but  the  area  can  be 
almost  doubled  by  the  construction  of  storage  works  for  saving  over 
flood  waters.  These  Avaters  would  be  diverted  in  the  plan,  by  gravity 
canals,  that  serve  the  greatest  possible  area. 

The  local  streams  in  the  northerly  part  of  this  region  are  much  more 
productive  than  in  the  south.  The  adjacent  agricultural  lands  are  at 
elevations  greater  than  5000  feet.  The  comprehensive  plan  would  carry 
most  of  these  waters  southerly  in  a  canal  two  hundred  and  eighty  miles 
long  to  areas  4000  feet  or  less  in  elevation.  The  waters  of  local  streams 
are  sufficient  to  irrigate  430,000  acres,  and  in  all,  1,369,000  acres  can  be 
irrigated  in  these  regions. 

GREAT  BASIN  DRAI NAGE— NORTH  OF  LAKE  TAHOE, 

Eastward  from  the  Sierra  Nevada  Mountains  and  northward  from 
Lake  Tahoe,  there  are  667,000  acres  of  tillable  lands  situated  in  moun- 
tain valleys  and  on  the  plateau  region  of  northeastern  California  that 
drain  easterly  toward  the  Great  Basin  of  North  America.  These  vary 
from  4000  feet  to  5000  feet  or  more  in  elevation  and  occur  in  parcels 
of  many  sizes.  There  are  now  82,500  acres  under  irrigation  in  this 
region  and  the  comprehensive  plan  would  increase  this  area  by  48,000 
additional  acres.  Storage  reservoirs  would  regulate  the  stream  flow, 
and  the  diversions  would  generally  be  near  the  lands  to  be  watered. 
Short  gravity  canals  would  lead  the  water  to  the  regions  of  use. 

NORTH    PACIFIC   COAST   DRAINAGE. 

About  half  of  the  agricultural  areas  of  the  Pacific  Coast  drainage 
lie  adjacent  to  Mount  Shasta  on  the  northern  and  western  sides. 
Situated  at  elevations  of  from  2o00  to  4000  feet,  these  lands  would  take 
their  waters  from  adjacent  streams,  principally  the  Klamath  or  its 
tributaries,  and  convey  them  by  gravity  to  the  regions  of  use.  The 
other  arable  lands  of  the  Pacific  Coast  drainage  basins  lie  in  lower 
levels.  Mostly  less  than  500  feet  above  the  sea,  these  lands  lie  in  the 
valleys  or  on  the  detrital  flats  along  the  lower  reaches  of  the  streams. 
Gravity  conveyance  of  the  waters  requires  one  canal  over  seventy 
miles  in  length  and  two  more  than  twenty  miles  long.  In  all  699,200 
acres  can  be  irrigated  under  the  comprehensive  plan.  Only  87,300 
acres  are  now  served  with  water  out  of  a  total  area  of  786,000  acres  of 
agricultural  lands  in  this  region. 


52  WATER  RESOURCES  OF  CALIFORNIA. 


CHAPTER  VII. 


SETTLEMENT. 

The  four  millions  of  people  within  the  confines  of  California  in 
nineteen  hundred  and  twenty-three  markedly  distinguish  this  state 
from  the  wild  and  uninhabited  mountains,  the  unsettled  valleys  and 
vacant  plains  of  one  hundred  year.s  ago.  Transfigured  through  years 
of  toil,  the  state's  lands  are  now  of  immense  wealth  and  the  source  of 
a  great  income  in  foodstuffs  and  minerals,  while  in  the  cities  and  towns 
are  a  multitude  of  industries  that  enhance  the  value  of  the  natural 
products.  Each  succeeding  generation  contributes  to  these  accumu- 
lated works  that  transform  the  fruits  of  the  valley  soils  and  the  min- 
erals and  waters  of  the  mountains  into  means  of  sustaining  greater 
numbers  of  people  in  prosperity  and  contentment.  But  the  value  of 
these  resources  and  the  value  of  these  works  is  contingent  upon  their 
service  to  people.  Neither  fertile  soil,  crop-maturing  waters  or  irriga- 
tion and  hydro-electric  structures;  nor  harbors,  railroads,  or  industrial 
centers  disclose  their  intrinsic  value  or  seethe  with  industry  without 
man 's  vitalizing  energy :  rather,  they  are  lifeless  encumbrances  on  wide- 
flung  landscapes  unless  experiencing  human  exploitation.  So,  without 
man  to  animate  and  guide  them,  great  works  constructed  for  convert- 
ing the  resources  of  the  state  into  life-sustaining  and  comfort-giving 
commodities,  neither  increase  its  wealth  nor  add  to  the  contentment 
of  its  inhabitants. 

Projects  for  transforming  the  immense  potential  wealth  of  the 
state's  waters  into  food  or  into  light  and  warmth,  must  then  grow  in 
size  and  capacity  of  output  in  consonance  with  the  augumenting  num- 
bers of  people  waiting  to  put  their  product  into  use,  or  those  industrial 
structures,  inanimate  and  without  volition,  will  weather  in  the  elements, 
and,  through  nonuse,  will  deteriorate  to  early  decay  before  oppor- 
tunity of  service  arrives.  Enterprises  that  are  carriers  of  water  for 
domestic  and  industrial  purposes  or  those  which  are  to  distribute  its 
tireless  energy  in  electric  current  to  population  centers  and  rural 
communities,  are  readily  designed  in  size  to  accommodate  themselves 
to  growing  communities,  and  select  without  difficulty,  small  numbers 
of  employees  to  operate  the  works  under  the  direction  of  trained  and 
skilled  superintendents. 

However,  this  not  so  with  systems  for  carrying  the  waters  of  the 
streams  to  the  agricultural  lands  that  these  may  produce  to  their  full 
capacity.  On  these  systems,  the  users  of  the  w^ater  are  so  intimately 
dependent  upon  the  supply,  their  successes  and  failures  are  so  wrapped 
up  in  the  cost  of  the  waters  and  excellence  of  service,  that  they  are  as 
workers  in  the  larger  enterprise  of  developing  water  for  the  land  in 
order  that  it  may  produce  irrigated  crops,  rather  than  as  consumers 
of  water  furnished  by  the  distribution  system.  The  works,  the  dams, 
the  canals  and  the  distribution  ditches  are  but  part  of  a  system  for 


WATER  RESOURCES  OF  CALIFORNIA.  53 

increasing  the  productivity  of  the  soil  and  until  this  soil  produces 
with  greater  abundance,  the  water  impounding  and  distributing  works 
are  of  no  service  to  the  people.  For  these  reasons,  private  enterprises, 
distributing  water  for  agricultural  use  and  selling  it  as  a  commodity, 
have  been  supplanted  in  irrigation  development,  by  mutual  companies, 
district  organizations  or  by  the  governing  political  subdivision.^^'  In  no 
other  way  have  the  interests  of  constructors  of  the  works  and  users  of 
the  water  become  sufficiently  coordinated  that  success  could  be  attained 
in  the  enterprise  as  a  whole. 

There  are  now  perhaps,  a  million  or  more  acres^^^  in  California,  fertile 
enough,  and  with  water  at  hand,  but  which  are  failing  to  produce 
adequately  to  pay  for  all  the  costs  including  improvements  on  the  land. 
Much  of  this  is  in  large  holdings  and  in  new  districts  that  have  recently 
been  brought  under  irrigation  and,  although  it  will  undoubtedly  be 
closely  settled  and  produce  to  capacity  within  a  few  years,  at  present 
these  lands  are  lacking  in  numbers  of  tillers  of  the  soil  to  respond  to 
the  propitious  agricultural  environment  of  this  state.  At  the  same 
time,  while  these  vast  areas  are  but  partially  productive,  eager  workers 
and  potential  farm  owners,  anxious  to  prove  their  worth,  but  without 
money  to  make  a  start;  skilled  university-trained  agriculturalists, 
capable  of  directing  agricultural  effort  and  anxious  to  exercise  their 
training  and  accumulated  knowledge,  are  about  us  in  numbers  ample  to 
people  and  intensively  farm  these  million  or  more  acres  and  many 
more  besides,  if  provision  were  made  for  their  occupying  the  land. 

It  is  generally  estimated  that  a  settler,  in  addition  to  being  an  experi- 
enced farmer,  should  have  at  least  from  two  to  five  thousand  dollars 
capital  to  make  the  start  under  existing  conditions  with  reasonable 
expectancy  of  ultimate  success ;  the  success  so  necessary  for  maintain- 
ing the  credit  of  irrigation  enterprises.  This  ready  money  is  required 
to  level  the  land,  to  build  a  house,  a  barn,  fences;  to  purchase  a  plow 
and  harrow,  a  mower,  rake  and  seed;  to  procure  a  horse,  and  cow,  as 
well  as  to  plant  the  first  crop  and  sustain  the  settler  until  the  first 
harvest  is  sold.  Two  thousand  to  five  thousand  dollars,  often  the  sav- 
ings of  a  life-time,  is  not  possessed  by  a  large  number  of  people  experi- 
enced in  farming,  and  who  are  desirous  of  undertaking  the  intensive 
cultivation  of  an  irrigated  farm.  These  requirements  so  limit  the 
number  of  prospective  occupants  for  California's  agricultural  lands 
that  the  rate  of  settlement  '-^^  on  the  great  irrigation  projects  already 
constructed  is  not  as  rapid  as  might  be  desired.  In  order  to  enlarge  the 
number  of  people  who  may  become  settlers  by  reducing  the  initial  cash 
outlay  required,  provisions  are  being  made  by  some  colonization  enter- 
prises, through  which  land  may  be  purchased  with  small  payments  that 
extend  over  longer  periods  of  time  than  have  heretofore  been  granted. 

Although  the  million  or  more  acres  of  land  in  California  now  failing 
to  put  its  water  supply  to  use  represents  a  partially  idle  value  in  land 
and  works  of  perhaps  $200,000,000,  the  future  is  more  concerned  with 

^In  1920,  less  than  10  per  cent  of  the  Irrigated  area  of  the  whole  United  States  was 
served  by  commercial  enterprises,  U.  S.  Census  Report. 

=U.  S.  Census  Report  states  that  there  were  1,675,426  acres  which  were  not  irrigated 
in  1920  but  which  the  works  were  capable  of  irrigating.  (Some  of  this  is  probably 
land  that  never  will  be  irrigated.) 

<^'U.  S.  Census,  1920,  reports  533,981  acres  of  irrigated  land  available  for  settlement 
by  owners'  statements.  The  Real  Instate  Commissioner  of  California,  after  a  canvass 
of  the  state,  estimates  that  there  are  now  950,000  acres  available  for  settlement  of 
which  80  per  cent  is  under  irrigation. 


54  WATER  RESOURCES  OF  CALIFORNIA. 

increasing  the  rate  of  settlement  than  the  present.  The  lands  that  are 
yet  to  receive  irrigation  waters  are  lands  that  have  been  left  after  the 
more  easily  developed  projects  have  been  completed,  and  the  cost  of 
water  for  them  will  be  at  an  enhanced  rate  per  acre  over  that  which  has 
prevailed  in  the  past.  These  residual  lands  are  equally  fertile,  but  are 
usually  situated  more  distant  from  the  source  of  supply.  Some  are 
tracts  more  uneven  of  surface  and  so  require  eleborate  systems  of 
canals  to  carry  the  waters  to  the  place  of  pouring  out  upon  the  soil. 
Others  have  to  acquire  water  rights  before  a  supply  may  be  obtained, 
and  all  of  them  will  have  to  construct  storage  works  to  hold  over  win- 
ter flood-waters  for  summer  use  and  the  run-off  of  wet  seasons  for  times 
of  drouth.  The  cost  of  these  projects  will  be  large  in  comparison  with 
the  ones  undertaken  in  the  beginning  of  irrigated  agriculture  when 
projects  were  small  and  the  works  simple. 

Future  enterprises  also  must  organize  in  increasingly  large  units, 
for  there  will  be  many  more  problems  presented  for  solution  than  here- 
tofore, and  these  must  be  surmounted  in  order  to  consummate  ulti- 
mate success.  Practically  all  the  summer  flow  of  California's  streams  is 
now  diverted  for  irrigation  use  and  the  lands  which  can  be  watered  by 
constructing  short  canals  have  been  put  under  irrigation ;  but  only  one- 
quarter  of  the  state's  lands  that  need  accessory  moisture  for  greatest 
productivity  can  be  watered  by  projects  already  constructed.  Even 
now,  huge  combinations  of  hundreds  of  thousands  of  acres  have  been 
found  necessary  that  lands  situated  remote  from  stream  channels  or 
source  of  supply  may  be  improved.  By  building  many  miles  of  canals 
and  huge  reservoirs  to  augment  the  summer  flow  with  saved-over  flood 
waters  from  winter,  these  projects  are  preparing  to  carry  water  to  the 
lands  that,  through  intensive  farming,  they  may  be  made  to  yield  har- 
vests commensurate  with  the  favorable  climate  and  fertile  soils  of  Cal- 
ifornia. The  united  eft'orts  of  whole  communities  is  proving  to  be  nec- 
essary to  bring  water  to  the  needy  lands  which  would  otherwise  remain 
dry  and  unproductive  or  whose  yield  would  only  be  realized  during 
seasons  of  copious  rains.  So  that  to  bring  water  to  the  land,  large 
projects  with  their  immense  construction  programs  are  proving  neces- 
sary even  at  this  time,  and  their  size  and  complication  will  grow  with 
the  future. 

The  successful  culmination  of  extensive  and  costl.y  enterprises  not 
alone  necessitates  that  sound  plans  be  adopted  for  the  construction  of 
the  works,  not  alone  that  they  may  be  erected  in  an  efficient  man- 
ner, not  alone  that  they  bring  water  to  fertile  soil  at  the  time  and 
in  the  quantity  needed,  but  also  that  the  land  be  quickly  occupied 
by  the  large  number  of  tillers  of  the  soil,  which  irrigated  agriculture 
demands  to  nurture  and  harvest  the  increased  yield.  The  fruition  of 
effort,  the  repayment  of  borrowed  capital  in  interest  and  principal,  and 
the  production  of  wealth  to  the  community  involve  thousands  of  oper- 
ators in  these  large  enterprises,  each  farming  from  twenty  to  forty 
acres  of  irrigated  lands.  The  running  of  the  waters  through  the  con- 
stracted  ditches  or  even  on  to  the  plowed  fields  does  not  make  the  land 
produce.  The  yielding  of  harvests  is  just  as  necessary  for  the  success- 
ful project  as  to  secure  adequate  sums  of  borrowed  money  with  which 
to  build  the  works.  The  very  essence  of  utility  of  these  works  is  the 
interested  and  tireless  efforts  of  the  farm  operators  that  strive  with 


WATER  RESOURCES  OF  CALIFORNIA.  55 

and  overcome  the  man}'  annoyances  incident  to  maturing  crops  on  the 
land. 

But  are  there  sufficient  numbers  of  people  possessing  the  experience 
and  skill,  the  capital  and  desire,  to  animate  these  works  and  quickly 
bring  the  lands  to  fruitful  harvests  under  the  requirements  of  existent 
conditions  of  land  sales  and  farm  credits';  The  holders  of  large  proper- 
ties for  several  years  past  have  been  searching  for  them  and  many  still 
believe  that  they  may  be  found,  but  their  only  partly  rewarded  efforts 
are  indicative  that  perhaps  they  are  not  to  be  immediately  found  in  the 
numbers  desired. 

As  the  years  succeed  themselves,  the  markets  for  California's  farm 
products  are  ever  widening.  Kefrigerator  cars,  fast  express  trains,  and 
the  cold  storage  of  ocean  transport  are  carrying  California's  fruits  and 
foods  for  display  in  markets  undreamed  of  a  few  years  ago,  and  the 
demand  for  these  is  increasing  at  an  accelerated  rate.  With  propitious 
climate  and  soils,  this  state  is  attaining  ranking  position,  a  precursor  to 
all  the  states  of  the  Union  in  value  of  agricultural  and  horticultural 
products  yielded  by  their  lands,  and  an  analysis  of  the  reports  of  the 
United  States  census  indicates  that  there  will  be  a  market  for  Cali- 
fornia's products  in  1940,  but  seventeen  years  hence,  three-fold  greater 
than  in  the  year  1920.  The  multiplying  population  of  this  state  also 
demands  food  in  greater  and  even  greater  amounts,  for  the  state  is 
growing  fast.  During  the  decade  that  closed  with  1920,  California 
experienced  an  enlargement  in  the  numbers  of  people  inhabiting  its 
farms  and  cities,  of  forty-four  per  cent  of  the  aggregate  of  1910. 

These  investigations  show  that  there  is  land  and  water  ample  for 
production  commensurate  with  this  enlarging  demand  for  California's 
agricultural  products,  and  the  past  success  in  financing  irrigation  con- 
struction demonstrates  that  money  will  be  at  hand  to  erect  the  works 
and  fashion  the  canals,  but  the  greatest  success  can  only  be  attained 
through  effecting  a  system  of  colonizing  the  land  that  will  iasten  the 
influx  of  settlers  and  secure  a  multiplicity  of  tillers  of  the  soil  without 
dela}-^,  so  that  long  periods  of  stagnation  between  their  construction  and 
time  of  use  may  not  bring  embarrassment  to  the  enterprises.  The  large 
units  in  which  future  development  must  be  organized  will  make  it 
increasingly  desirable  to  accelerate  the  rate  of  rural  settlement  of  this 
state. 

Two  examples  of  well  coordinated  and  systematized  colonization  may 
be  seen  at  Durham  in  Butte  County,  and  at  Delhi  in  Merced  County, 
the  two  state  land  settlement  projects.^^^  However,  these  two  colonies 
are  but  a  demonstration  of  possibilities  in  stimulating  rural  settlement 
for  their  combined  area  is  only  13,920  acres.  A  statewide  stimulus  to 
the  occupancy  of  farm  lands  would  greatly  increase  the  naturally 
expeditious  growth  of  California's  irrigated  communities,  insure  a  full 
measure  of  production  to  meet  all  demands,  and  assist  California  in 
seizing  and  holding  agricultural  and  horticultural  supremacy  among 
the  states  of  this  nation. 


<»For  description  of  these  projects  see  "Report  of  Division  of  Land  Settlement,"  a 
subdivision  of  tlie  Department  of  Public  "Works  of  the  State  of  California,  the  report 
being  Part  V  of  the  first  biennial  report  of  that  department,  dated  Septeabfir  1,  1922. 


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LIBRARY,   UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA,  DAVIS 

Book  Slip-Series  458 


PHYSICAL 
SCIENCES 
LIBRARY 


-yu),!    3-4- 


/t^ 


UMIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 
DAVIS 


111580 


3  1175  00473  8665 


